The RHS Chelsea Flower Show provided us with a great week of engagement, talking with visitors, VIPs and the media about the work of UKCEH, the value of gardens for wildlife, apps such as iRecord and the innovative methods we use to capture data on biodiversity using technology such as LepiSense and acoustic monitors.
We were chuffed that our UKCEH Nature Decoded exhibit which featured in the GreenSTEM zone in the Great Pavilion, was awarded a silver medal - a great achievement for our inaugural presence* at this prestigious show.
Secret soundscapes
With our bright eye-catching graphics representing our new brand, and colourful planting palette of wildlife-friendly and climate resilient plants, the exhibit attracted a lot of attention – enabling us to talk about UKCEH and the work of our scientists.
The soundscapes captured by our acoustic monitors proved extremely popular providing visitors with a chance to listen in to worms, ants and ivy mining beetles moving through the soil plus underwater environments, and a biodiversity-rich garden.
Tune into our RHS Chelsea microsite to listen to them.
Meeting VIPs and good conversations
Press day visitors to the exhibit included a mix of VIP guests such as Nature Minister Mary Creagh MP, national media, celebrities (including friend of UKCEH, Deborah Meaden and garden designer and presenter Arit Anderson) along with individuals from a range of organisations – leading to great conversations and potential future projects.
Dr Abigail Lowe also managed to catch up with Mary Berry and Alan Titchmarsh on the National Garden Scheme exhibit, who we are working with on the Big British Garden Survey which is currently underway.