Miracle Factory is an ongoing site-specific project, by UK based artist William Clifford, developed while taking part in the artist in residency programme at Luton Hoo Walled Garden.

The Capability Brown designed Walled Garden was established in the 1770’s, by horticultural enthusiast John Stuart the 3^rd Earl of Bute. A close friend and advisor to King George III, he consulted on the planting of The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. The Walled Gardens at Luton Hoo were created at a time of great horticultural and botanical discovery and were used to showcase the family’s extensive collection of rare plants. Miracle Factory is intended to directly reference the gardens rich architectural and horticultural history while seeking to question the nature of collecting and scientific classification.

Miracle Factory will eventually consist of an installation of approximately 400 Moringa Oleifera, or Miracle Trees, housed in one of the now derelict Mackenzie & Moncur glasshouses at Luton Hoo Walled Garden. The first phase of the project saw a test batch of seeds, imported from America, planted in the glass houses in the spring of 2011, providing an opportunity to gain practical knowledge of cultivating a plant rarely grown in the UK.

Native only to the foothills of the Himalayas, the drought resistant Moringa Oleifera plant is thought to be the most useful plant in the world. The leaves are highly nutritious, being a good source of Vitamin C, iron, beta-carotene, protein, and potassium. Gram for gram, Moringa Oleifera leaves are claimed to contain: four times the vitamin A found in carrots; four times the Calcium and twice the protein in milk; seven times the vitamin C in oranges and three times the Potassium in bananas.

The vitamin rich leaves are commonly dried…