Landscape students design RHS Tatton garden

MMU students have designed a garden for the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park to boost awareness the plight of kidney patients.

Students of landscape architecture in the School of Design have teamed up with ‘Kidney’s for Life’ campaign run by Manchester Royal Infirmary one of the pioneers of dialysis in the 1960s and the largest provider of renal services in the UK.

‘Kidneys for Life’ is the charity raising money for renal research and the Tatton Show in July will see the public launch of the charity and its work.

The garden in the main ‘Show Area’ at Tatton is titled ‘From Chaos to Calm’ and reflects the physical and emotional journey undertaken by someone with kidney failure.

Water plummets

Composed of visually distinct areas, the garden leads you through a harsh, barren landscape conveying initial shock at falling ill. A darkened slate tunnel with water plummets induces feelings of agitation and vulnerability.

‘Impure’ water from the ‘chaos’ pool is channelled into interconnecting water sculptures including a figure of eight which symbolises the cleansing processes carried out by the kidneys.

Passing healing herbs and plants, ‘clean’ water converges in a bright ‘rainforest’ pool which softens the tumultuous flow and brings about the final cleansing stage. Tranquillity and well-being are restored.

Dialysis

Students Annie Tollafield, Paula Revill, Helen Beckitt and Sophy King researched around kidney disease before beginning the project and spent much time talking to Michael, a patient at the MRI who has been on dialysis since his failed kidney transplant in 1990.

He told the students: “Most people seem to think that once you start dialysis life gets back to normal. My whole life is has to revolve around my treatment.”

Course leader John Finlay said: “The project is part of our ‘Creative Laboratory’ which encourages students to create real gardens in the community. To have a garden approved by the Royal Horticultural Society is the ultimate peer review.”

To learn more about ‘Kidney’s for Life’ go to www.kidneysforlife.org

To find out more about landscape architecture at MMU, go to www.landscape.mmu.ac.uk or contact the School of Design, MMU on 0161 247 1009