Garden goes green for a lesson in building an ecological future

When Harlow Carr in Harrogate embarked on a project to open a new

learning centre, the green-fingers behind the RHS garden were

determined its latest building would be similarly sympathetic to the environment.

The nuts and bolts of the centre have recently been completed and as the finishing touches are put in place, the long-held dream has finally become a reality.

Nestling into the landscape, the building will be powered by a small wind turbine, with whatever electricity is left over sold to the National Grid, the paint is eco-friendly and, with even the toilet doors made from recycled toothbrushes, it's being billed as one of the greenest buildings in Britain. Perhaps even more surprisingly, the 3m project has also been completed on time and on budget.

"At the moment we are tucked away in what was the original spa building and really we've just outgrown the classroom space," says RHS education officer Debbie Hanslip. "We have wanted a brand new centre for a long time, but it's hard to believe that we are so close to actually moving in.

"The idea was always to build something which had a connection with the rest of the gardens and, standing in one of the three new classrooms, with the big windows, you really get a sense of the outdoors."

With an emphasis on the eco-friendly, the project cost considerably more than a conventional build. However, it is hoped the centre itself will generate income as a working model for other architects and construction firms keen to learn from the techniques used.

The main aim of the Bramall Learning Centre, which will officially open for business next month, is to increase the number of adult learning courses and school workshops coming to the gardens, with the hope of teaching and inspiring 10,000 people each year. The final piece of the jigsaw will be the creation of new gardens next to the centre which will allow staff to run hands-on practical courses where hopefully the next generation of horticulturalists will begin to blossom.

"It's great to see children spend the day here," says Debbie. "It's not just about getting them to pot their own plants or grow their own vegetables, we run courses on everything from orienteering to sculpture making. Basically, if it's connected to the outdoors we do it.

"In recent years more and more schools have started their own small gardens and changes to the national curriculum now mean that gardening is increasingly on the timetable. At the moment we just can't

accommodate all the requests we get, but the new building will give us much more scope.

"There is a place for classroom work, but getting out from behind the desk can be incredibly inspiring.

"Often children say to me at the end of a day at the gardens, 'It's been great not going to school'. However, while they might not think of it as teaching, they actually learn a great deal."

Last year, more than 250,000 people visited Harlow Carr Gardens – a record number for the Royal Horticultural Society. The attraction also won a Gardeners' World award and, with the new centre, built by William Birch and Sons, also housing the biggest horticultural library in the North, it hopes to further cement its reputation.

"At the moment the collection we have is limited by space and it's not very child friendly," says Debbie. "The new library couldn't be more different and we hope to be able to keep around 8,000 books and journals on everything from garden design to cookery and there will also be a specialist children's section.

"The building is more than just bricks and mortar, it is a new chapter in the long history of Harlow Carr."