Set to open this summer in London, Kew Gardens will unveil an innovative new garden that will serve as a powerful visual representation of the climate crisis and the urgent need to tackle it.
‘The Carbon Garden’ will showcase how carbon helps sustain life on Earth, the large scale of the climate crisis and how nature can be used to tackle it.
This groundbreaking project at Kew aims to highlight the urgent environmental challenges facing our planet, offering visitors a unique and thought-provoking experience. Through carefully designed landscapes and plant displays, the garden will shed light on the scale and impact of climate change, inspiring action and raising awareness on this critical global issue.
The garden was approved by Richmond Council last year and will aim to educate visitors about the dramatic rise in global temperatures over the years through a striking display of plants.
The garden will also educate visitors on how plants and fungi serve as “natural allies in climate repair,” capturing carbon and restoring ecological balance.
A feature showcasing layers of soil, a rocky outcrop, and coal beneath the earth’s surface, complete with fossilised plants, will unveil the hidden world of carbon underground.
Additionally, a dry garden filled with drought-resistant plants will demonstrate how nature can help adapt to climate change. A rain garden will highlight techniques for managing water flow, preventing soil erosion, reducing flooding, and replenishing soil moisture.
At the heart of the garden, a fungi-inspired pavilion will be constructed using sustainable materials. Its sloping canopy will channel rainwater into the rain garden, while the sheltered space will provide an area for school visits and community events.
Richard Wilford, designer of the Carbon Garden and Manager of Garden Design at RBG Kew says: “The Carbon Garden offers a unique opportunity to showcase our ongoing research, combining scientific insight with thoughtful design and beautiful planting to highlight the role of carbon in our lives, how it moves through the environment and how plants and fungi can help us tackle climate change. We hope the Carbon Garden inspires visitors to act and join us in shaping a more sustainable, resilient future for life on our planet.”