The inaugural RHS Urban Show was held earlier this year in Manchester – a show designed for those who live in cities with limited or no outdoor growing space.

Documented by Standby Productions, the short film featuring Jason Williams, known as The Cloud Gardener and team of designers and volunteers, in their creations for shows centrepiece show gardens entitled ‘Cloudscape’. Working alongside like-minded collaborators, Williams worked to create seven different garden design concepts to highlight the challenges faced by urban gardens and their gardeners.

Cloudscape consisted of a collection of seven gardens designed to show the potential of green(er) urban development. The show gardens featured: four balcony gardens co-designed with students from the Manchester Metropolitan University; an urban farm; a shade garden co-designed with Notcutts Limited, and; a communal space co-designed with Plant Co-operative.

Beautifully filmed, the film documents the entire process from start to finish, including the relocation of the gardens to their final destinations – such as to The Co-Op Academy in New Islington. The film also includes background on Williams and how he came to horticulture, as well as the pioneering urban greening projects such as Plant Noma, the urban farming project in Manchester.

“The documentary is simply stunning. The team managed to capture the essence of Cloudscape and why I feel towns & cities need to become greener.,” said Williams.

The film was made by Standby Productions and directed by Simon Owen. Production: Ellen Bounds and Charlotte Timbrell. Director of Photography: Rees Newnes. Post Production: Nick Wood