Grow to Know was born following the devastating Grenfell Tower fire, where 72 residents of the West London tower block lost their lives in 2017. Grenfell was the catalyst for a guerrilla gardening movement in the subsequent days, weeks and months, as locals took to the streets in search of relief and answers to one of the most tragic and preventable disasters the UK has seen.
Grow to Know would emerge as a not-for-profit in 2020—now reestablished as a change-making and placemaking collective seeking local, national and global joy and justice through its work. Grow to Know was founded as a personal response to the tragedy, and an unwavering commitment to future generations, by Tayshan Hayden-Smith.
Born and raised in Ladbroke Grove, Tayshan stumbled into guerrilla gardening as he, and other young people in the community, not only reclaimed space but also reclaimed a sense of pride, identity and hope through their new found activism. These seeds of change were first planted in 2017, which saw the ‘Grenfell Garden of Peace’ become a sanctuary—welcoming all to contribute, or to simply find peace, solace and safety.
After two years of impromptu and unresourced reclamation of spaces in North Kensington, Grow to Know would formally emerge in the midst of COVID-19—a pandemic which only further deepened the disparity and deprivation within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, impacting the people in the north of the borough significantly more. Following its founding, Danny Clarke would soon join forces with Grow to Know.
Grow to Know has already made waves in the wider horticultural world, with two thought-provoking gardens showcased at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2022 and 2023—both highlighting the intersection of social and environmental justice.
Working with the Grow to Know name (as it was already well established), Pentagram was asked to create a visual identity to help Grow to Know communicate its unique ethos, and attract more partners and supporters as it expands its reach. The new brand needed to be optimistic, turning the collective pain into hope and activism. It needed to be flexible and work across the different dimensions of the organisation’s work, from its creative studio-esque change-making arm, which speaks to ideas, innovation and imagination; as well as placemaking, which purposefully weaves together plants, people and places.
Inspired by the language of blueprints and master plans, the new visual language reflects Grow to Know’s vision to bring life to derelict spaces. It imagines a new blueprint where nature can help build the connection between people in the communities. Central to the identity is the cyanotype process—a camera-less photographic technique that creates striking blue and white images by laying objects on paper coated with a solution of iron salts before exposing them to UV light.
These visuals reflect the organisation’s deep connection to nature and its central role in their work. The flexible logo features four cyanotype images, these appear across all of Grow to Know’s communications, including their new website which was also designed by Pentagram.
With a mission to bring joy and justice, the collective is expanding its reach, uniting communities and reimagining a world filled with compassion, creativity and connection. Pentagram’s new identity will help Grow to Know grow, thrive, and share its vision with an ever-widening audience.
