Manchester public spaces,UK August 2014. Tourists taking a break outside Selfridges, from Dig the City Exchange Square Central, an annual urban gardening festival delivered by Manchester's Business Improvement District – BID.
Hot tubs, floral bus stops and a Vimto garden will transform Manchester city centre as Dig the City returns this summer. Sixteen show gardens will be on display during the urban gardening festival, from August 2 to 10. Each has been designed especially for the event, with their designers having to embrace the challenges of gardening in a small urban space. TV gardener and presenter Rachel de Thame, who will judge the entries alongside the National Trust's city gardener Sean Harkin, said: "We've been overwhelmed by the calibre and creativity of the show gardens. "It will be awesome to see them all on the city centre streets from August 2." Designs were submitted across three categories - city gardens, eat, and grow anywhere - by professionals, novices, community groups and businesses. The shortlisted entries range from a floral display inspired by Manchester’s cotton-trading past to bee-friendly planting, Tatton Park's Japanese meditative garden, a sound garden and plenty of plots devoted to growing your own. Entrants include Manchester School of Art, Tatton Park and environmental charity Friends of the Earth. As well as judging, Rachel de Thame will be giving talks on urban gardening and landscape design at the free nine-day event, alongside celebrity gardener Diarmuid Gavin. The festival will also feature food stalls, a fête, markets, music, a petting farm and plenty of green themed activities for kids.
Size: 3600px × 2400px
Location: Manchester, UK
Photo credit: © MediaWorldImages / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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