Celcon Aircrete proves green credentials at Chelsea's Recycled Garden

Recycling was one of the strongest themes at the 2005 Chelsea Flower Show, with Celcon aircrete emerging as a hot favourite for its sustainability credentials. H+H Celcon's Thin-Joint system was used to create the retaining walls of the Trailfinders Recycled Garden sponsored by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme).

The garden uses green waste compost and discarded materials. Determined to stick to sustainable principles for every aspect of its garden, WRAP was impressed that Pulverised Fuel Ash, which accounts for 75% of the material used to make Celcon blocks, is a by-product of another process that would otherwise be sent for landfill. H+H Celcon also uses recycled aluminium powder to produce the chemical reaction which creates the blocks' aerated structure. We h ad just two days to build the two principal retaining walls - 35m x 2.7m in total - plus a series of curved walls within the garden. This was easily accomplished using fast-setting Celfix Thin-Joint mortar, leaving plenty of time to carve  a series of arches in the walls to house recycled sculptural friezes.