Chelsea Flower Show 2022
A thought-provoking and inspiring garden contributed to by Headington’s Eco Textiles students has won a silver medal at Chelsea Flower Show.
A Level students, led by Headington’s Head of Fashion Textiles Mrs Kate Turnbull, joined forces with garden designer Lottie Delamain and Fashion Revolution to create the first ever garden at the world-famous flower show to feature solely plants which can be used to make or dye clothes.
Above the garden hung a textile installation made entirely from plants dyed by Headington students course. Shallow reflective pools represented dye baths, with fabric or fibres soaking in natural dyes, and a series of paved seams lead through the planting.
After the show, the garden will be relocated to Headington. Mrs Turnbull has developed a new syllabus which includes the study of plants used for textiles dyes and fibres, along with their propagation and use. The garden will be reimagined in two parts – as a working dye garden for the Textile Design students, and as a Colour Wheel garden, designed to inspire pupils across the School about the myriad roles plants play in our lives.
If you’d like to know more about this fascinating project – and Headington’s approach to Eco Textiles – you can see the garden and hear from our Head of Fashion Textiles Mrs Kate Turnbull here: BBC at 48mins 25secs, live dying demo at 23mins 19secs, Vogue, House Beautiful, Textiles Garden film.
