Ninth Chelsea gold in a row for Birmingham

Birmingham City Council has won gold at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for the ninth show in a row, with a display showing how everyone can make changes, big or small, to help the environment.

This year's show, held from 21 to 26 September, has been moved from its usual May slot because of the pandemic, making it the first autumn Chelsea in the show's history.

A greener home

The display, sponsored by Veolia, builds on ideas first seen in the garden Birmingham created with Baroness Floella Benjamin in 2019. It gives examples of how people can make a positive difference to the environment at home, in the garden or in their community.

Features include a solar panel, a green roof, rainwater harvesting, wind power, LED lighting, smart meters, recycling, electric vehicles, cycling and sustainable drainage. The display also shows how sustainable energy can be scaled up or down, from large solar farms to personal power banks.

It includes traditional seasonal bedding, with all the plants grown or maintained at the council's own nurseries.

"Nine in a row"

Council leader Ian Ward said: "The creativity and effort put in by everyone involved with our displays never ceases to amaze me. Nine Gold awards in a row is a brilliant achievement and reconfirms Birmingham's status as one of the leading cities for all things horticulture."

Councillor John O'Shea, cabinet member for street scene and parks, said the display was especially timely. "Given recent news headlines about issues with energy supplies and natural resources, it is incredibly timely and gives visitors to the show some great ideas about how they can contribute positively to the environment in which they live or work," he said.

Mark Powell, Veolia's general manager in Birmingham, said it was "especially great to see sustainability presented in a positive way".

The messages behind it

The display points out that there are 22 million residential gardens in the UK, which could do much for the environment by providing habitats for wildlife, space to grow food and places to relax. Birmingham has more than 600 parks and open spaces, which the display says could play a part in the city's response to climate change.

It also highlights the city's Clean Air Zone, which launched in June, charging the most polluting vehicles to enter the city centre. Air pollution contributes to the premature deaths of up to 1,000 people in Birmingham every year.

A green roof, the display notes, can insulate a building, provide homes for birds and insects, improve air quality, reduce noise and help cool the city, and can be fitted to anything from an office block to a garden shed or bin store.

A remarkable run

The council's Chelsea displays have become a showcase for the skills of its parks team. Previous golds have celebrated the Birmingham-trained inventor Rowland Emett and the Windrush generation. Nine consecutive golds is a record few exhibitors can match, and the team will already be thinking about how to make it ten next year.