A PIONEERING project by garden designer Peter Donegan will be showcased at the Royal Horticultural Society’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show later this year.
Having returned from France and the inauguration of the WW1 Centenary Peace garden he designed for the 13th century Chateau de Peronne, Dublin-based Donegan will showcase his latest work, the Northern Roots Oldham Garden, at the world’s largest garden festival, which was due to take place in July but - due to the Covid-19 outbreak - will now take place in September.
Donegan has designed the show garden to showcase a pioneering new green space project entitled Northern Roots – which is the UK’s largest urban farm and eco-park, based in Snipe Clough in Oldham, Greater Manchester.
How Peter's finished garden will lookNorthern Roots Project Director Anna da Silva explained: “Something inspirational is happening in Oldham. 160 years after Oldham became the textile epicentre of the Industrial Revolution, another revolution is gathering pace - a green Revolution.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Peter on the Northern Roots Oldham Garden, a garden that nods to Oldham’s rich industrial heritage and diverse communities, whilst celebrating its current renaissance as a centre of green excellence.”
Paying homage to Oldham’s industrial legacy, Donegan’s garden will incorporate York stone and sandstone salvaged from Oldham’s iconic Grade Two listed Town Hall and 19th century mills.
A roof structure in the garden will be constructed by Oldham-based fabricator and entrepreneur Frank Rothwell of Manchester Cabins.
The garden is sponsored by Park Cakes, a cake manufacturer also based in Oldham.
The firm’s Isabella McGauley said: “Park Cakes is really proud to be a headline sponsor for the Northern Roots Oldham Garden. We have has been based in Oldham since 1937 and as one of the largest local employers, we believe very much in working with the local community.
“Sponsoring the Northern Roots Oldham Garden and supporting the Northern Roots project is a brilliant opportunity for us to give back to people in the community.”
Following the show, which is scheduled to take place between September 10-15, the Northern Roots Oldham Garden will be relocated back to Oldham to form the focal point of the new Northern Roots centre on Snipe Clough.
Additional businesses to pledge their support to the Northern Roots Oldham Garden include MioCare Group, Manchester Cabins, Walker Simpson Architects and NLTG.
PROFILE: Peter Donegan
Peter Donegan began gardening at the age of five.
Having gardened throughout his childhood, he went on to study horticulture for four years.
In 2001, aged 24, Peter set up Peter Donegan Landscaping Ltd in Dublin and he has since won a host of awards as both designer and contractor for 17th & 18th century gardens and show gardens at national competitions.
In 2018, Peter was one of 14 international designers chosen by a French jury to represent Ireland to design and realise the Irish WW1 centenary peace garden at Chateau de Peronne, France.
In April 2019 Donegan became the first Irish designer accepted to design at The Royal Horticultural Society, RHS Flower Show Cardiff, winning Silver Medal for The Perennial Show Garden.
His 2020 show garden will be his first since the French garden’s inauguration by Irish Ambassador Patricia O'Brien.
The Royal Horticultural Society’s Hampton Court Palace Flower Show will run from September 10-15.
