York Foodbank edible community garden wins awards at Harrogate Flower Show

As part of this year’s Harrogate Spring Flower Show Gardens feature there was an edible garden exploring the vital importance of food as a basic human right for all. The show is the first of the year’s major gardening events in the UK with a spectacular celebration of the very best in horticulture and took place at the Great Yorkshire Events Centre from 24-27 April.

Based on the principles of sustainability and food security, the ‘Food is our Common Ground’ Garden highlights the work of York Food Bank whose mission is to “meet the needs of those in their local community in times of crisis by providing practical help and access to high-quality advice, leading to improved circumstances and the hope of a brighter future.”

The garden is the brainchild of garden designer Helena Glassup of Euphorbia Gardens, contractor Ian Calpin of Ian Calpin Landscape Services and Sam Glassup, facilities manager for Clifton Moor and Stirling Park industrial estates (York Food Bank is based at Stirling Park).

At the heart of the design is the vision of a community garden that not only provides nourishment but also sustains. The garden features a harmonious blend of fruiting trees, shrubs, and herbs—plants that are both beautiful and functional, with food production as the key selection criterion.

The planting theme creates a vibrant, productive edible garden that encourages community interaction, with trees and shrubs providing seasonal structure and shade while offering nourishment throughout the growing season.

A variety of culinary herbs are carefully positioned for ease of harvest, allowing visitors to actively engage with the garden. Edible perennials provide year-round interest and productivity, reducing the need for annual replanting and promoting a more sustainable approach to food production—one that remains both beautiful and functional.

Wherever possible, materials for the garden were reclaimed or upcycled from projects on Clifton Moor, reducing the environmental impact of the hard landscaping.

Helena Glassup said: “Our garden serves as a vision of hope—demonstrating how we can come together as a community to nurture both the land and each other.

“The garden explores the crucial link between short-term food relief and long-term food security. We hope to demonstrate that by learning to grow their own food, individuals and communities can reduce dependence on emergency support, paving the way for a healthier, more food-secure future. Aside from this, social gardening offers many other benefits, strengthening community bonds, promoting well-being, and fostering resilience and sustainability.”

And breaking news… the garden won two awards!

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