Growing skills…

Feast was a programme of 5 workshops for adults with learning disabilities combining art activities with practical gardening, all set in the context of Kew Palace and the heritage landscape.
From March to August 2010, specialist gardening staff from Kew Gardens worked alongside a small group of clients and support workers from the Grove Care Partnership, planting heritage seeds and nurturing and growing vegetables that might have been eaten by King George III and Queen Charlotte.  As well as learning new gardening skills from the experts, participants visited the Palace to learn more about the dining habits of the King and Queen and took part in a series of creative craft activities including ceramics decorating, screen printing and collage. The workshops culminated with a harvest session and all the participants were encouraged to continue their gardening with vegetable seeds from Kew.

The vegetables planted by the participants of the Feast project continue to grow in the Queen’s Garden by Kew Palace and are appreciated by visitors and horticultural staff alike.