Super garden to transform Birmingham into urban oasis

The city will include an urban oasis as activities aim to "inspire the mind, body and soul"

A "super garden of magical proportions" is set to transform Birmingham city centre as part of a 17-day programme of free events, say organisers.

Eleven-metre (36ft) tall architectural trees will be installed in Victoria Square as well as thousands of living plants.

Residents from 60 community groups helped grow flowers for the event.

PoliNation runs from 2 to 18 September as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival.

Free activities will include yoga, Tai-Chi, garden tours, workshops, sensory experiences and talks by food growers and gardeners as well as live music, dance and drag performances.

PoliNations associate artist Yshee Black was pictured with communities involved in the project in May

Organisers Trigger Collective said the event, PoliNations, takes its inspiration from the fact the majority of plants in our city gardens come from overseas and celebrates "the cross-pollination that has shaped British culture".

Angie Bual, Trigger's creative director, said: "The idea behind PoliNations derived from the wave of Black Lives Matter protests that happened at the same time as the coronavirus lockdowns, when more and more people were reconnecting with nature."

This led to an exploration of the relationship between plants, cultural identity and civic activism, she said.

There will be diverse events on every day in the city

PoliNations would be a "spectacular free event for everyone" in the festival's final month, added Martin Green of Unboxed and the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

"Audiences from the region and far and wide will be able to experience an event that embraces diverse forms of art, and a myriad ways to tell captivating personal and collective stories that reflect the magnificent richness of our society," he added.

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