Garden for Change on Second Life

EVENTS IN THE GARDEN FOR CHANGE

The Places of Change garden was the biggest show garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May 2010. Between 300 and 500 homeless people contributed to the garden and were involved in planting, gardening, design, construction, and carpentry during the site development. 

To maximise the impact of this impressive garden and the positive effect it has had on homeless people’s lives, Homeless Link created a 3D virtual version of the garden on Second Life, to allow visitors of the show as well as those who are unable to visit in person, a fuller and more interactive experience of the ideas and inspiration behind the garden, and the stories of those who created it.

Through the garden we have continued to tell the story of how some of society’s most disadvantaged people can turn their lives around if they are given the right opportunity.

Come and join us!  

You will be able to:

  • Move around the virtual garden and interact with other visitors
  • Learn about the stories of those who created it through web links to blogs, video footage and sound files of the real Places of Change garden
  • Visit the websites of some of the homelessness agencies involved in creation of the garden 

Events and tours of the garden

We held an event in the garden last November . There was a tour, a talk by Robert Davidson about his experience of homelessness, working as a professional photographer, and his experiences working on the real Places of Change garden.

To visit the garden at any time:

  • Visit Second Life
  • Register, for free – and follow the simple steps to create your own avatar (a virtual version of you!)
  • Once logged in, teleport to visit the Garden for Change
  • The first time you log in, you will be offered a tutorial, showing you how to move around, talk to others and travel from place to place.

If you want to speak to people rather than type, you will need to enable the voice settings in Second Life.

Here's a sneak preview of the garden: 

 

Further information 

View our promotional postcard  about thr Garden for Change. The Garden for Change is supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.