A stunning garden that debuts at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this week, will then take up permanent residence in Hull, as part of a collaboration with Visit Hull & East Yorkshire.
The Songbird Survival Garden will captivate visitors in London, before being carefully relocated to Bransholme’s Neighbourhood Network Community Centre on Goodhart Road, where it will serve as an inspiring, educational, and lasting green space for the community.
This stunning garden, created by award-winning garden designer Nicola Oakey and backed by charitable organisation Project Giving Back, has been designed to raise awareness of the UK’s declining songbird population. It has been supported in its move to the city by Visit Hull & East Yorkshire and the Neighbourhood Network.
Inspired by the movement of birds as they forage and seek shelter, the garden’s design encourages a deeper connection to nature. Layered planting, a circular pond for bathing and drinking, and a birdhouse den built from reclaimed materials, all help replicate the safe havens birds need to thrive. Six hand-crafted metalwork motifs of at-risk UK songbirds serve as poignant reminders of the wildlife under threat.
The garden will offer visitors, residents, and local schools the chance to engage with important themes around biodiversity and conservation, whilst enjoying a beautifully designed outdoor space in the heart of Bransholme.
Cllr Rob Pritchard, portfolio holder for culture and leisure said: “I’m delighted to see this wonderful garden making its home in Hull, giving residents and visitors a stunning new outside space to enjoy. I look forward to seeing it in installed in the summer.”
Chris Blacksell, Chair of Visit Hull & East Yorkshire “We are proud to support this unique initiative, which highlights the region as a haven for nature lovers.
“From the sweeping landscapes of the Yorkshire Wolds where Red Kites can often be seen soaring above you, to the dramatic Bempton Cliffs, where Puffins nest each spring, and from Wrynecks at Spurn Point Nature Reserve to the wealth of British garden birds in the City and other residential areas, Hull & East Yorkshire offers remarkable wildlife encounters all year round.
“The arrival of the Songbird Survival Garden adds yet another reason for eco-tourists and nature enthusiasts to explore this beautiful and biodiverse part of the UK.”
Songbird Survival will make its debut at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 22 – 24 May, before moving to Hull this summer.
Find out more about the project and opening events here.
