How do our experiences of eating and growing food fit in with the wider circle of life and the natural world? How can we see that in action in the Kitchen Garden?
Our 2024 Creative Programme, generously funded by Arts Council England, centres around two new food-themed art projects, both based in the Chiswick House Kitchen Garden.
Flower Feast: A Kitchen Garden Trail, by artist Jaixia Blue, launched on August 2nd and gives visitors the chance to take part in a sensory, nature-centre activity trail, designed for children and adults to enjoy together. The trail is free to all, with hand-illustrated booklets, crayons and magnifying glasses available to pick up on entrance, and will run until the gardens close for the year on October 27th.
Participants can engage with insect life in the garden by creating an edible ‘Flower Feast’, playing ‘Flower Bingo’, learning about the importance of pollinators when it comes to food production, and understanding how the food we grow and enjoy, as well as the act of eating itself, is an integral part of the natural world.
Speaking about why she created the trail, Jaixia says:
I designed the trail as a way of consciously engaging all five senses to connect with the natural world and its biodiversity. I wanted to shift the perception of ‘pests’ such as black flies to ‘Garden Heroes’ highlighting their integral roles in the garden as pollinators, both big and small, that contribute to the circle of life in the garden.
Alongside encouraging children to discover the garden’s resident insects, the project also focuses on sensory immersion and mental wellbeing, helping participants connect with the sounds, smells and textures of the garden, as well as its visual beauty.
I wanted to incorporate a meditative element into the trail , as a nod to the ‘sixth sense’ of intuition, where visitors can take a moment to breathe deeply and perhaps become more aware of themselves and their role within the natural world. Many say that entering the Kitchen Garden is like entering a more peaceful and enchanting world. I thought it was important to harness that sense of serenity, as a meditative practice that you can always come back to in daily life.
Jaixia’s previous work has encompassed textile art, music, film and poetry mediums, and explores themes surrounding her dual British and Caribbean heritage.
Speaking about what the ‘Flower Feast’ project has meant to her on a personal level, Jaixia says:
As an artist, this has been such a special and unique project to be a part of. It called for a full immersion in nature, which has led to an even deeper appreciation for the plants and insects that allow our world to thrive. I enjoyed the slower forms of creating, using watercolours and crayons to do studies of the flora and fauna I came across in the garden. These are skills that I will continue to expand on in my creative practice moving forward.
In the Chiswick House Kitchen Garden we practice environmentally-friendly, sustainable ways of growing food, implementing a ‘no dig’ policy that benefits soil health and using friendly ‘no-kill’ methods to deter insects that might eat the crops.
We’re therefore delighted to welcome visitors to find out more about life and biodiversity in the garden this summer, via Jaixia’s beautiful new trail.
- Flower Feast is one of two food-themed arts projects, funded by Arts Council England as part of CHGT’s 2024 Creative Programme. Find out more about Harvesting Connection: A Communal Table, by artist Ayesha Weekes, here.
- A celebration event for both projects takes place on September 1st and is open to all
- The Kitchen Garden is free to enter for all. Opening hours are 10.30am to 3.30pm, Thursday to Sunday, until October 27th.
This project was generously funded by Arts Council England.
