A Crystal Palace based college has shown that a smart garden can bump up the security of your property, writes Anisha De…
In 2016, a survey conducted by British price-comparison website MoneySuperMarket deemed leafy Dulwich as the number one spot in the country for thefts and burglaries. Although the rates have significantly dropped since then, when it comes to safety, particularly that of your personal space and property, it’s never too late to prioritise precaution.
Step in the Secured by Design (SBD) garden, developed by Capel Manor College in partnership with Metropolitan Police Service. With the aim to raise awareness about crime prevention, it is the ultimate step to ensure you leave no stone unturned.
Security measures in the garden include columnar trees and rotating bars of pergola to prevent climbing. Prickly plants and gravel have been utilised as a further deterrent.
Green screens have been used to provide a sustainable and secure privacy fence solution along the boundaries of the garden; it offers air cleansing benefits as well.
The unique exhibit was brought about for the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)’s Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. It earned them a well-deserved silver medal.
For the competition, a brief to demonstrate a secure and sustainable urban garden was forwarded to the College’s Garden Design and Plantsmanship Foundation Degree students and staff. Capel manor has a number of centres for those wanting to gain land based careers including a site in Crystal Palace.
Lucy Glover and Jaqueline Poll were declared joint winners of the event.
As part of the garden’s ethos of helping the community, the plants used will be relocated to two community groups and a primary school in a deprived area of London.
This year the College’s floristry business, Manor Flowers, exhibit also won a Silver-Gilt medal for their floral spider’s web design. The display was inspired by the intricate work of the spider and the woven elements of a spider’s web. The web is made of small wooden log slices and fresh floral material, and it also features a handmade spider.
Malcolm Goodwin, Principal at Capel Manor College, said “We encourage students to get involved from the initial idea phase to the creation of exhibitions as this real-world experience is invaluable for preparation to work or higher study.
“Creating exhibitions at the prestigious RHS Hampton Court Flower Show is another example of how our students are presented with fantastic opportunities to develop their skills.”
If you are interested in studying at Capel Manor visit https://www.capel.ac.uk/