It’s been a while since we first identified the Pastoral Life trend, but the last few months has seen an avalanche of fresh examples showing the extent to which people around the world are aspiring to the ideal of country living. It seems that the more time we spend online looking at screens the more it fuels our craving for nature and green spaces.

Schemes like the Union Street Urban Orchard in East London has created an orchard of 85 fruit trees planted on abandoned building site as part of the London Festival of Architecture. Likewise UK supermarket chain Budgens has created a rooftop organic garden to run alongside food growing workshops and providing seeds from the harvest, free of charge to residents and schools. Produce from the garden is sold through the chain’s stores with proceeds going to community schemes.

While escaping to the country remains a dream rather than a reality, it seems many urban dwellers will continue to find new ways of ‘bringing the country to the city’. The cultivation of urban spaces is being embraced as people seek ways to reconnect with the land and local communities. With the continuing decline of the traditional high street and mall style retail urban garden could provide a more positive way to reuse urban land. As more people and now brands are getting involved, we could see a transformation and re-greening of inner cities.

http://www.unionstreetorchard.org.uk

www.thorntonsbudgens.com/social-environment/food-from-the-sky