West Midlands Railway & JQBID: Action Stations
Adopting the station in May 2019 enabled the JQBID team and friends of the Jewellery Quarter station to brainstorm ways the station’s environment can be improved.
Through using horticulture and planting, the experience of rail passengers will be enhanced and the air environment, improved. Our plans for the station will be highlighted in an exhibition at RHS Chelsea in May 2020.
The exhibit
Our exhibit will showcase the message of how train stations and communities can take action and play their part in improving urban environments and bringing people together through horticulture.
The exhibit will display a derelict train carriage depicting unloved urban environments. Around the carriage are 5 areas which will demonstrate how planting can improve environments.
1. Wildflower Verges
As well as bringing colour and life to otherwise derelict areas, wildflower verges will improve biodiversity and encourage wildlife and pollinators to the space.
2. The Sedum Roof
Green roofs can capture airborne pollutants, moderate temperature and decrease C02 and other pollutants. They are beneficial to pollinators, butterflies and birds. They also absorb rainwater and reduce the risk of flooding.
3. The Waiting Room
A quiet, therapeutic area where passengers can sit and relax, engage with nature, read, chat and enjoy the surrounding scented herbs and plants.
4. Living Walls
Living Walls contain plants that are proven to absorb pollutants from the air to improve overall air quality.
5. The Community Garden
A place to meet others and grow a range of edible produce. City centres, even though hugely populous, can often be quite lonely. Having this community garden inside an inner city train station can help develop someone's ability to mix socially, make friends and learn practical skills.
Friends of the Jewellery Quarter Station
Gardening, especially community gardening has a huge impact on mental health and wellbeing. Community gardening develops a persons’ ability to mix socially, make friends and learn practical skills. By having a sense of purpose and achievement, this improves mental health which is what we’re addressing through our community garden. Gardening also allows the mind to focus on the task in hand and is very therapeutic through connecting with nature. Our seating area of our exhibit includes sensory scented plants which triggers calming and relaxation.