Previous Page |
At the back of the stage a mirror reflected both the half table (making it seem entire) and the statue and planting in the rear garden. Visitors were intrigued when they found that they were, in fact, looking at a reflection. The rear had a pleasant feel to it with lots of alliums and the bearded Iris 'Sable'. The statute was placed in a circular area, partly framed by low box hedges, and the water continued around to it.
The very rear of the garden had a path through a small birch woodland (Betula pendula 'Youngii') that, while pretty, seemed not quite to 'fit' in mood or style with rest of the formal, classical front garden.
The Garden of Tranquillity (Silver Gilt) took the prize for the largest trees ever at Chelsea. Fourteen phoenix date palms, reaching weighing in at seven tonnes, were flown in from Abu Dubai (to be donated to Kew gardens after the Show) and lined the garden. A canal linked two pools and a path wound from the front of the garden to the back where a circular grassed area made this a tranquil garden indeed. While the association with the falcon was lost on most viewers and the granite slab with gold embossing was a mystery, the garden did reflect the need of those in the desert- shelter, shade, food and water.
The Stonemarket Garden (Silver) was a more approachable garden than most, a small building in the corner contained a kitchen and opened up on to a terrace for relaxing and dining, vegetables and flowers were mingled in the borders and steps dropped down from the terrace to a small grassed area. A striking, blue contemporary sculpture seemed quite at home in the planting and added a bit of liveliness to the scheme. |
The Stonemarket Garden |
The McKevley-Wise Partnership Garden (Silver) was popular. Very traditional in style it incorporated a gazebo and using a subtle colour scheme that blended with the grey-green painted wood. Topiary pom-poms, twists and balls punctuated the planting schemes and a central lawn with a small pond.
The Help the Aged Lifetime Care Garden (Silver Gilt) was a recreation of a cottage, complete with washing line and washing, a Mini in the garage and planting reminiscent of twenty years ago. Beautifully executed it drew plenty of interest. |
The Care Garden |
Some of the gardens seemed a bit flat- the Exceptional Garden (Bronze) comprised an 'X' formed by two rills with the space filled with, admittedly lovely, roses. A perspex arbour provided a centrepiece on the rear wall. Simple, but lacking that 'something' that makes a garden memorable.
The much-heralded Porcelanosa Carpet Garden (Silver), based on an Oriental carpet and devised in conjunction with the Prince of Wales, had to be viewed from an angle that did the least for it, and no-one could 'look down on it' as its scheme demanded. It came across as an intricate, fiddly design. Once the gates had opened, few could get the view we show here. The roses, sunk in pits 60cm deep made it a difficult design to maintain outside the show gates. |
|
|
The Theatrical Garden
The Garden of Tranquillity
The McKelvey-Wise Partnership Garden
The Exceptional Garden
The Carpet Garden |
Next Page | |
