Context

The new Children’s Garden at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, opened on 18th May 2019 and features bespoke sculptural Fruit Hoops, Tunnel Hoops and Pergola Hoops created by Handspring Design.

Work undertaken

Handspring Design came up with the concept for the design of the Hoops at Kew and, working in partnership with All Urban and PCF Works, built the installation at their workshop in Sheffield before transporting the finished item to London on the back of a series of lorries.

37 metal hoops surround the central area of the garden creating a variety of features to explore.

The Fruit Hoops have Cox's Orange Pippin apple trees trained up wires attached to them.

In the Tunnel Hoops bright coloured perspex panels and oak batons join the rings together to form a sheltered seating area.

The sculptural Pergola Hoops cluster together providing another seating area and places to play amongst the mixed clad and open hoops.

A single circular path joins all the elements together marking the cyclical nature of the passage of the sun.

The new garden is set amongst mature trees and existing planting. All construction work had to be designed to minimise disturbance on the ground and installation had to be carried out without damaging the fauna. The end result is a new garden that looks like it has been there for years.