The idea of building a show garden at Harrogate began as a lunchtime conversation at the Yorkshire in Bloom awards last year between designer and Yorkshire in Bloom judge Helena Glassup, Ian Calpin of Ian Calpin Landscape Services (the contractors for the build), and Sam Glassup, Facilities Manager for Clifton Moor and Stirling Park industrial estates.

Site owners Legal and General have a strong commitment to fostering ESG projects on their sites and as York Food Bank are also tenants on the estate they seemed to be the perfect partners for a garden based around the idea of sustainability and food security.

Using the words of American chef James Beard, "Food is our common ground," this garden explores the universal importance of food as a basic human right. Regardless of circumstances, access to food is essential. It also has the unique ability to bring people together through shared experiences.

The garden's ethos highlights the work of York Food Bank, whose mission is to "meet the needs of those in their local community in times of crisis by providing practical help and access to high-quality advice, leading to improved circumstances and the hope of a brighter future."

At the heart of the design is the vision of a community garden that not only nourishes the soul but also sustains. The garden features a harmonious blend of fruiting trees, shrubs, and ornamental plants that are both beautiful and functional, with edible properties as the key selection criterion.

The Food is Our Common Ground garden also explores the crucial link between short-term relief and long-term food security. By learning to grow their own food, individuals and communities can reduce dependence on emergency support, paving the way for a healthier, more food-secure future. Social gardening strengthens community bonds, promotes well-being, and fosters resilience and sustainability.

This garden serves as a vision of hope—demonstrating how we can come together to nurture both the land and each other.

The planting theme creates a vibrant, productive edible garden that encourages community interaction. A diverse selection of plants provides seasonal structure and shade while offering nourishment throughout the growing season.  In creating the design we wanted to avoid having a space that looked like a traditional allotment.  The plants had to be ornamental as well as edible.  The result is a surprisingly beautiful space from which nutritionally diverse fruits, flowers and leaves can be sourced.

A variety of culinary herbs are carefully positioned for ease of harvest, allowing visitors to actively engage with the garden. Edible perennials provide year-round interest and productivity, reducing the need for annual replanting and promoting a more sustainable approach to food production—one that remains both beautiful and functional.

Wherever possible, materials for the garden will be reclaimed or upcycled, reducing the environmental impact of the hard landscaping.