Plastic Daffs at RHS flower show to highlight climate change
05 July 2007 Plastic daffodils at RHS Flower Show to highlight Lake District climate change A HOLIDAY park which planted artificial silk daffodils on the shores of Windermere will be exhibiting them at the North West’s biggest flower show later this month to highlight climate change in the Lake District. Dozens of silk daffodils were planted at Fallbarrow Park at Bowness-on-Windermere after the mildest winter since 1914 saw many real daffodils bloom too early in the Lake District for Easter guests. Now the parent company South Lakeland Parks, is heading to this year’s RHS Flower show at Tatton Park, Cheshire, between July 18-22, with a similar message. It has commissioned a special garden called “Paradise Found” which aims to show how subtle indicators of climate change are already underway in the Lake District, and how visitors can help the environment with the holiday choices they make by choosing to take UK breaks. The special garden will also feature plastic daffodils – the first time ever in the competition. Working with two designers, Jane McNeela and Alison Ryan, the special “climate change garden” is based on a holiday park and features a luxurious timber-effect lodge made by manufacturers Tingdene Holiday Homes. Parts of the garden are shaded by conifers and lead to a grassy bank and a stream which has all but dried up due to rising temperatures. The effect is a moisture-hungry gully which has become a haven for sprouting plants such as hostas, ferns and candelabra primulas. The grass in the garden has also been colonised with a variety of native wildflowers to become a haven for insects and butterflies. Small rhododendrons and conifers, reflecting those found growing naturally in the Lake District, are also used. To reduce the carbon footprint of the garden, surplus green slate from the roofing trade has been used in its construction, while A&P Decking of Blackpool also provided the wood-effect decking. This is to show how many of the modern timber lodges which can be bought or hired on the parks, are now constructed in “Pine-effect,” rather than real wood to reduce the reliance on a natural resource.
The company also promotes environmentally-friendly transport on park and has linked up with local cycle hire firm Country Lanes so that guests can leave the car and cycle around the Lakes, as well as using local bus services and cruisers provided by Windermere Lake Cruises.
In addition, the park’s adopted charity for its three Lake District holiday parks is Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Water Vole Project, which aims to raise funds to reintroduce water voles to Cumbria through careful breeding and release into the wild. It is also a member of the Tourism and Conservation Partnership, which raises funds to deliver conservation projects in the Lakes. The garden – which will be entered into the main competition – can be seen at stand C60 where South Lakeland Parks staff will be giving advice on how people can buy or hire a holiday home at one of its sites. A spokesman for South Lakeland Parks said: “We are already seeing evidence of climate change in the Lake District and it is important to show what we are doing as a company to combat this and how visitors can contribute and help preserve the superb environment we have here.” The company’s Lake District Parks are all located in protected woodland and countryside areas, while its management plan puts the park’s birds, animals and plant life at the top of its priority. For more information, please contact Caroline Guffogg at South Lakeland Parks on 015395 69830 or go to www.southlakelandparks.co.uk |
