Chelsea Flower Show silver medallist installs reading garden in Brixton

A landscaping company who won a silver medal at the Chelsea Flower Show this year with a reading garden for a charity have now installed it at a community centre in Brixton.

Greenscape Gardens scooped the prize for their work with literacy charity Doorstep Library, creating a reading space that is surrounded by rainforest plants.

The garden is designed to highlight the importance of rainforests as well as encouraging children to read.

It has now been installed for free at the Max Roach community centre in Wiltshire Road in the hopes that it will help inspire kids to read.

Carl Chaney, founder of Greenscape Gardens grew up in Brixton and said the installation of the garden at community centre “means a great deal”.

Mr Chaney, who now lives in Brixton Hill, said: “I have a young daughter so the project really struck a chord with me. I love reading and I love reading to my little girl.

“It’s an amazing space with such a nice feel. Knowing it’s in an area that will be used by children who might not have access to books means a lot.”

The landscapers said the idea of a window seat immersed in rainforest greens and surrounded by books grew from the thought that if children see the natural world as a place of wonder they will feel inspired to protect it.

Mr Chaney added: “It was our first time at the Chelsea Flower Show and it was a lot to take in. To receive such a high accolade was amazing.

“We had a strong message which connected with a lot of people. Knowing it will live on at Max Roach is inspiring.”

Pictured top: Greenscape Gardens founder Carl Chaney reads to his daughter Dot Chaney and his colleague’s daughter Arabella Gleghorn at the Chelsea Flower Show (Picture: Greenscape Gardens)