It’s always great when Manchester gets a first, and now something that may turn some heads is coming to our city: talking trees. A pioneering garden that has the potential to transform how trees are monitored and cared for in the future will find a permanent home at the luscious Mayfield district in Manchester, which centres around having nature tell gardeners what they need, through talking trees…
Following its debut this month at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025, the Avanade Intelligent Garden—designed by award-winning duo Tom Massey and Je Ahn—will become a part of a major extension of the already loved Mayfield Park.
Featuring Avanade’s pioneering AI technology to support the health and survival of urban trees, the garden’s relocation signals an ambition to explore how cutting-edge innovation might enhance Mayfield Park’s horticultural management—potentially transforming how its trees are monitored and cared for, and offering a model for how cities could better support their green spaces.
One of the most visionary aspects of the concept is TreeTalk—an interactive AI tool that enables two-way communication between the Manchester park staff and talking trees. The system allows questions like “How are you feeling?” or “What do you need?” to help guide horticultural decisions. Trees can even be configured to ‘alert’ gardeners if they’re under stress—enabling more responsive, proactive and preventative care.
This project marks the next phase for Mayfield, whose award-winning park has been hailed as “the blueprint for the park of the future” by leading urban horticultural specialist, Nigel Dunnett.
While the RHS Chelsea Flower Show served as a test bed for this pioneering technology, its relocation to Mayfield in Manchester opens up the possibility of applying these innovations, in the shape of talking trees, in a living urban landscape.
As the project evolves there are plans for Avanade’s AI assistant to operate across a network of sensors—gathering real-time data on tree growth, soil conditions, air quality and weather patterns. In turn, this would enable the AI to provide intuitive, responsive insights into each tree’s condition and offer recommendations to support its care.
Danny Williams, Estates Manager at Mayfield Park said: “Mayfield is proud to be at the forefront of innovation as the UK’s first AI-enabled urban park. This collaboration with Avanade marks an exciting step in the future of sustainable green space management, allowing us to harness cutting-edge technology to enhance biodiversity, improve resilience, and ensure Mayfield remains a thriving, beautiful space well into the future.
“The Avanade Intelligent Garden offers a pioneering model for how cities can better care for their green spaces—optimising resources, enhancing biodiversity, and shaping the future of urban nature. We are excited to welcome it to Mayfield.”
The Avanade Intelligent Garden will be the first part of a wider threshold development linking Mayfield Park to Manchester Piccadilly, located next to the award-winning Mayfield Depot and the Star & Garter pub.
We’re sure this won’t be the last we hear about talking trees in Manchester, and we’ll be sure to keep you updated on any developments.