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a eters the co-founder of the online latfor lanted on the i ortance of ro otin sustaina ilit and the u co in e hi ition in tourhead Words by Nick Woodhouse Pictures by Ellis Reed
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t s ind as s eak to a eters co-founder of lanted the arketin latfor that showcases businesses who place nature and sustaina ilit at their core a s ust een out ka akin and see s re arka l cal for so eone dee in re arations for their ne t e hi ition Planted Country. eturnin to tourhead this une follo in its de ut last su er the three-da event ill see an e tended and e tensive ro ra e of nature- ased talks and orksho s alon side a ealth of e hi itors o erin desi n-led solutions to the current cli ate e er enc
The couple maintained their ties with ondon launchin their first event Planted Cities, in Kings Cross, then in Broadgate. Sam and e orah ere keen ho ever to e tend their o erin e ond ondon The choice of tourhead for the latfor s first such o erin Planted Country as a natural one The had eco e ever-a are of the re arka le net ork of ur ose-driven co anies here in the West ountr usinesses esta lished not ust to ake rofit ut also to hel co unities and the lanet alike Whilst an of these usinesses i ht have sho roo s and o ces in ondon their heart and ori ins ere often to e found a stone s thro fro their ne ho e a and e orah also discovered a natural ali n ent ith the values of the National Trust art-o ner of the house and ardens at tourhead Not onl did the share si ilar values on re enerative far in and rene a le ener ut also the i ortance of access to nature as a force for ood for eo le oth h sicall and entall Planted Country ill e one of an events aligned to the Great Big Green Week. sta lished in the countr s lar est cele ration of action to tackle cli ate chan e and rotect reen s aces runs this ear fro to une ast ear s cele ration sa over a uarter of a illion eo le oin or anisations and edia outlets in events across the countr combining to put greater pressure on the overn ent to take cli ate chan e seriousl This ear s talk ro ra e at Planted Country, titled Cool Design, Sustainable Future, looks at how we can best respond to that cli ate un redicta ilit and its destructive e ect on natural s ste s unnin across nine talks over the event s three da s the ro ra e ill e coordinated and hosted reno ned desi ner liver Heath liver has lon een a lo al authorit on io hilic desi n an evidence- ased ove ent that looks to enefit our health and ell ein throu h s aces that o er i roved
“Bestowed the title of ‘Godmother of Design’” For a and fello founder and artner Deborah Spencer, Planted was a coming to ether of assions n a ard- innin s orts ournalist and edia ca ai ner a ho ed to co ine his love of the outdoors ith a reater understandin of sustaina ilit Havin launched interior desi n sho designjunction in 2010, and being bestowed the title of od other of esi n the Evening Standard e orah had eco e increasin l a are of the astefulness of such events and as keen to create an alternative one ith a ini al i act on the environ ent usin the re ur osed the rec cled and the reused n soon after the irth of their dau hter the cou le oved fro north est ondon to the Wiltshire villa e of Tis ur in search of a ore eanin ful connection to the outdoors t as here ith a little hel fro friends that the air created lanted a latfor for nature- ased usinesses and or anisations ro oted sustaina l throu h events and edia
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connections to nature This ear liver ill e oined in the series of talks H helsea edal inners harlotte Harris and Hu o Bu ardenin authors oel shton and arr l Moore Helen Bro nin fro the oil ssociation and nd ato co-founder of Wildfar ed lon side a co rehensive series of ell ein and ractical orksho s in the Festival tent this ear also sees a series of children s orksho s oin the fold for the first ti e Focussin on ins irin nature- ased educational ieces the event ill also hold a schools da on the Frida This ear s event ill also see further additions to its e hi itor list Fro ifest le arden o erin arden furniture usin ethicall sourced aterials to the arden tools of Ni aki ins ired a anese desi n the list of co anies is ide-ran in each lacin nature and sustaina ilit at their core Man such e hi itors are also local to tourhead fro Bruton s r anic Bul s to fa ric and lifest le rand Bon ho have recentl launched Bee Bal hand ade in o erset usin ure o erset ees a s intervie ith a co es to an end, the wind is still blowing a gale at the other end of the hone Nature as it should e ssertin its su eriorit instillin cal ness in disru tive ti es re indin us all that hat surrounds us is precious, and should be cared for at all costs Visit Planted Country, 9 – 11 June, Stourhead, BA12 6QF For more: www.planted-community.co.uk
Nick Woodhouse is the co-director of interior and garden design company Woodhouse & Law on 4 George’s Place, Bathwick Hill, Bath; 01225 428072; www.woodhouseandlaw.co.uk