But that’s what was witnessed by hundreds of gardeners at Islington’s second annual Grow Show for food growing and sustainability.
They listened to the London Vegetable Orchestra playing on vegetable instruments — like the ‘pepper pipe’, the ‘turnip trombone’ and the ‘carrot clarinet’.
The show staged at Whittington Park Community Centre on Sunday, September 7 attracted 800 seasoned cultivators and passionate beginners, with a medley of flowers, fruit, vegetables and herbs.
The enthusiasts had grown tomatoes, peppers and herbs in small spaces on balconies, windowsills and in community gardens.
“Growing and sharing food brings people together right in the heart of London,” Barefoot Planter founder Chauntelle Lewis said.
“One thing I learned from the community gardens on estates I visited in Archway is that the people make the space. They start with a bit of unused land, then share resources and ideas, experimenting and growing things.”
The Barefoot Planter is a not-for-profit social enterprise that creates links between people, food and nature, promoting green skills, green spaces and a connection to the environment.
Chauntelle is inspired by the Forest School approach and farm-to-table principles to run sustainable gardening workshops and cooking classes.
She also organised a community lunch in Finsbury this summer, after looking in at four community gardens in July and August to document their produce — which ended up on the menu at St Luke’s Community Centre.
The annual Islington Grow Show is part of Islington Council’s programme for sustainable living, inspiring families to grow their own food to help cut shopping bills and reduce waste.
Rowena Champion, the council’s cabinet member for the environment, said: “Growing is good for the environment and our purses as well as being a benefit to physical and mental health.”
Cllr Champion joined in activities at the Grow Show like building a bee hotel and horticulture workshops with hands-on sessions on composting and pickle-making.
But the real show-stopper was the vegetable orchestra’s performance — the musicians ending up eating the instruments they’ve just played.