Client: DCFS The Growing Schools Garden: 'Learning outside the classroom' display.
Type of works: supply and installation of Q-Grip^® York slip-resistant decking and Q-Garden^® planed landscaping sleepers.

Hoppings supplied slip-resistant decking and planed landscape sleepers for Chris Beardshaw's award-winning design for the DCFS (Department for Children, Schools and Families), ‘The Growing Schools Garden: learning outside the classroom’ at 2007's Hampton Court Flower Show.

Hoppings Softwood Products sponsored the garden with the supply of both Q-Grip^® York slip-resistant decking and Q-Garden^® planed landscaping sleepers which were used in the ‘poetry’ zone of the garden, creating a large safe area for the children to work and relax in and in the ‘growing’ zone of the garden to create sturdy and safe raised vegetable and fruit beds.

Q-Grip^® York slip-resistant decking was used on the walkways to assist sure footing between the various areas leading from the classroom scene. Q-Grip^® York slip-resistant decking being of a smooth profile proved a wise choice, as the 2007 show proved to be one of the wettest and muddiest on record. The smooth profile proved easy to keep clean and provided sure footing for the thousands of visitors to the garden.

Q-Garden^® planed landscaping sleepers were used on edge to create raised vegetable beds. The smooth surface and four chamfered edges to these sleepers provide a safer finish when compared to rough-sawn and square-edged alternatives. Q-Garden^® planed landscaping sleepers are suitable for use in ground contact and come with a 15 year in-ground contact warranty, underwritten by Hoppings' treatment supplier Arch Timber Protection.

Q-Grip^® products supplied were Forest Stewardship Council (FSC^®) certified and the Q-Garden^® planed landscaping sleepers supplied were PEFC^® certified (Pan European Forest Certification system).

The garden was created for the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2007, where it won a gold medal and the prestigious Tudor Rose for best in show. It was designed by multi award-winning TV gardener Chris Beardshaw. The garden is being moved to its permanent home at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.