Soil sculpture

The sculpture celebrating the importance of soil has been created by a grassy bank of earth, effectively forming a huge collar encircling a towering ash tree. As a spectacle in itself, the effect of the ‘collar’ highlights the dramatic beauty of the tree but it also reminds the visitor of the capacity of the soil to nurture such magnificent life forms.

The visitor will also be asked to contemplate the much smaller life forms supported by the soil, including the millions of micro-organisms that are continually working to break down the matter that makes soil. If soil is to remain healthy and fertile it needs to be carefully managed. The benefits of soil conditioning crops will be discussed, as opposed to the use of artificial chemicals and fertilizers, and each year such a crop will be grown in the area below the tree to produce a colourful carpet which will add to the overall picture.