Glastonbury Festival - Greenpeace Field

Good Wood...

If you go down to the woods today, you're sure of... a comfy place to sit. Now replace the word 'woods' with 'Greenpeace Field' and you're there.

Careful. Splinters... Tucked away by the showers near the climbing wall is something that must be seen (or sat in) to be believed. This is the Enchanted Garden, a cleverly designed open air chill out area crafted from eco sound timber (naturally) and currently awaiting your seated pleasure.

The space is best described as a cluster of different 'rooms' arranged in the shape of a flower, each with it's own style and 'chill factor', ie: go from a light chill of 3 for the upright pub-style bench with wicker weave surround for talking codshit with your mates over a few jars and rollies, through a moderate chill of 6 for perhaps the shingle hedgehog hidey hole (covered, low to the floor) or the raised circular platforms (natural reclining position) where it's possible you might doze off briefly, through to a whopping Chill Force 11 in the circular communal rope hammock in the center, which easily fits about 10 and is such a snug you may seriously consider taking a sleeping bag in there with you.

The area, created by Somerset duo Jenny and Mehdi (www.jennyandmehdi.org) was conceived in March with an initial site survey and over the following weeks grew to it's present magnificence with the involvement of several talented individuals and collectives including wicker weaver Julie Starks and the Henry Doubleday Research Association (HDRA) - the charity for organic gardening, horticulture and food (www.hdra.org.uk) whose arrangement of bedded flowers and vegetables are the perfect compliment. And if you go and see Judy she'll be able to tell you what flowers sit well next to each other and what you can do to naturally reduce garden pests. I can't believe I'm talking about plants here.

Anyway, there's one more spectacle before we go. The Edible Man. He's this great big... thing made of wood and... he's got green sprouting out in various places aaand he's holding a rake. Looks a bit like Diarmuid Gavin with a really bad hangover. He's a bit scary at first but he's alright once he's had a fry up and a pint of espresso. Designed by Pete Hill, our hero was significantly contributed to by pupils from the Richard Lander School in Cornwall, who visited the site a few weeks ago and worked with the artist to complete the work. The kids also made a lot of the lanterns here and there in art class in the run up to the festival. How cool is that? WE never got to do stuff like this at school, the spawny gets.

So there you have it. An area that is as comfortable as it is attractive, choose your chill level and dive in. And the while you're there don't worry; the Edible Man will protect you from all things nasty, like record company execs. Now budge up in that hammock, there's room for another in there.

Words and Images: Stalker

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