Hosta uses plants to create spaces, focusing on carefully considered horticultural and architectural interventions that are sensitive to context and have a rigorous relationship to cities and architecture. We caught up with Hosta's founder and director, Helen Taylor, to find out more...
What was your inspiration for starting Hosta?
"It came from commercial opportunities I had after completing my BSc (Hons) Environment Design and Management degree at Nottingham Trent University (NTU), which prompted me to become self-employed. I named the business after one of my favourite plants because the architectural structure of the leaves appeals to my eye for design. I chose to call it a consultancy because I was unsure of which direction it would take."
You've won prestigious awards since then - how have you grown the business to achieve that?
"I was lucky to be a recipient of an Enterprise Inc. start-up grant which helped fund some of the first vital elements of the business such as professional insurance. I've benefited from lots of help in Nottingham, particularly from The Hive and NTU. I've also taken on graduates in Business, Horticulture and Architecture which has enabled the business to develop in multiple areas, as well as having the capacity to grow our number of clients. As well as full-time positions, taking on interns at different intervals has been fundamental to Hosta's growth."
Hosta Consulting: Photo Credit: Neil Hoyle
What does Nottingham do well in terms of urban landscaping & what could the city do better?
"Nottingham has some great examples of SuDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems). The University of Nottingham's Jubilee campus is a vast landscape of green infrastructure, replacing what was once an industrial site. The campus has many swales alongside diverse landscaping and man-made lakes that provide wildlife habitats as well as forming part of the heating and cooling systems within the campus buildings. We're lucky to have close access to places such as Victoria Park, the Arboretum, the Castle and the Park for a green escape! But there is still plenty of opportunity to best exploit some of our other unused spaces, such as creating urban gardens, green roofs and terraces and pocket parks. To really improve the quality and volume of green infrastructure in Nottingham, the city needs to understand green space as ‘Natural Capital’. Understanding its intangible benefits and realising the long term value of green space investment will create a sustainable and prosperous future for our city."
Why is urban landscaping so important?
"We need nature because it's a vital part of being human; ultimately we're a part of nature and concrete cities will never fulfil us. Nature can have a marked impact on our social lives, as well as our mental and physical health, thus nature needs to be a holistic part of our city. Green infrastructure and urban landscaping projects are a cost effective way of tackling the current climate change issues, as well as improving the economy, improving the environment and encouraging social cohesion."
Hosta Consulting
How does it benefit businesses including SMEs?
"Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is fast becoming a standard practice in today’s business world. The ultimate goal of CSR is to make a positive impact on society, the companies' stakeholders and the environment, but it offers a multitude of benefits for the business itself. With climate change an increasing threat, responsible for many natural disasters in recent years, putting green infrastructure as the focus of a company’s CSR strategy will help towards making a positive difference to a whole number of issues. Businesses can invest in green infrastructure to show that they're conscious of the impact of climate change on society and the environment, and that they're actively engaging with these concerns. Investing in green infrastructure can help businesses to think more about how their own activities affect the environment, which will help them to be more engaged in their CSR goals. Or alternatively how it can directly protect their business assets."
How does it benefit our urban spaces and sense of place?
"Horticulture can be used to create healthier, more active places that are enjoyable to use. More than any other material, plants can offer a link directly to the human psyche, giving an array of benefits including improved mental and psychical health, as well as spaces to exercise. With such innate connections with nature, we cannot ignore Horticulture’s value in place-making."
What does being a member of Creative Class 2016 mean to you?
“We’re delighted to be part of the 2016 Creative Class and to be acknowledged for the hard work of our team. We’ve grown phenomenally since we were first founded and it’s fantastic to be recognised for our successes over the past few years and our contribution to growth and recruitment in Nottingham. I first went to a Creative Class event four years ago and I was blown away by the calibre of its members. It’s surreal to be part of this year’s class and we’re extremely proud of how far we’ve come. We plan to continue our strategy for sustained growth and welcome the support that this opportunity will give us.”
