Sweet smell of success for Green Business Park
By Sue Mackinnon
Office workers don’t usually nibble at the foliage in their buildings – but Filwood Green Business Park has created “edible planters” to provide organic produce for its tenants.
The £12m business park in Knowle West, owned by Bristol City Council, opened in May and provides a home for small businesses with an ‘environmental ethos’ in South Bristol.
The large wooden planters were unveiled to celebrate Big Green Week and Green Office Week. They are being filled with different herbs and salad leaves instead of the usual bedding and flowers.
The containers have been created by the Furniture Factory, a local project based at the business park which designs and makes furniture from scratch, as well as ‘upcycling’ existing office equipment.
They are being planted up by award-winning gardener Steve Griffiths who also works at Knowle West Health Association’s Springfield Allotments.
He said: “They have been filled with herbs such as oregano, parsley and rosemary and there will be salads too. The idea is that the staff can pick them and eat them and take them to cook with.”
Steve will also be on hand to advise people about growing their own produce rather than buying from a supermarket.
Knowle West Media Centre’s Project Manager of the Furniture Factory, Justin Ricks said: “The aim is to create more greenery for the tenants but also to encourage them to use the plants in their lunches and also to care for them. There are talks about getting a company to adopt a planter.
“This project has also allowed local gardener Steve Griffiths to set up his own business alongside his employment for KWHA…”
Filwood Business Park Centre Manager Iwona Tempowski said: “The edible planters will look, smell and taste good and help to support bees and other insects. They make the space visibly ‘green’ as befits the most environmentally friendly building of its type in the South West.”
For more information about Filwood Green Business Park visit www.filwoodgreen or the Furniture Factory see www.kwmc.org.uk/ehfurniturefactory