Everything’s gone green at BioCity

Nottingham-based life sciences incubator, BioCity, is now home to an award-winning RHS garden, providing an outdoor space for workers based at the site.

The garden, ‘Finding [urban] Nature’ (F[u]N), was designed by RHS Young Designer of the Year finalist, Eds Higgins and has been relocated from the RHS Tatton Park Flower Show, where it was awarded a silver medal.

BioCity says the design celebrates the hidden charm of wasteland sites and is inspired by Boots Island site located behind BioCity in Nottingham. The garden is a re-imagining of how this site is being reclaimed by people and nature and makes use of reclaimed materials to show how joy can be brought to unloved, but valuable derelict spaces.

Higgins said, “I’m really excited that my garden has been permanently installed at BioCity Nottingham and hope that it will offer a valuable urban habitat for wildlife, as well as a peaceful space for workers based there to enjoy.”

Claire Russell, marketing and communications coordinator at BioCity, said: “It’s important that BioCity has outdoor break-out spaces on site and Eds’ unique design is ideal for our grounds. It is also fantastic that we are able to preserve our own piece of the Island site, particularly with an award-winning garden.

“We would like to encourage businesses based at BioCity to take ownership of the garden and seize the opportunity to get active outside on their lunch breaks.”

Michael Walker, reserve management and monitoring officer at Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, added: “The terms ‘brownfield site’ and ‘wasteland’ are often interpreted as being areas that have no value and ripe for development. Nature doesn’t see it that way and many become important havens for wildlife in areas where there are few other opportunities.

“The new garden at BioCity will help to replace important areas of habitat for a range of species including bee orchids and grassland butterfly species that had previously developed on the site and is therefore a valuable addition to our urban habitats. We hope that this garden inspires other city businesses to consider how they can incorporate wildlife habitat into their sites.”