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The Bradstone Grotto Garden (Silver Gilt) incorporated a stone cavern and semi-wild planting, had some mammoth stones and wonderful maples but was more a habitat than a garden.
The Blue Circle Garden (Bronze) was extremely glary in the bright sunny conditions and left you longing for some shade. There were some nice touches in this garden; interesting pots, planting associations but it did not appeal. The proportion of blue concrete used overwhelmed the planting and made it an uninviting space.
The Eden Garden (Silver) was a play on the Eden project in Wales, with a dome covering palms and tropical plants and surrounded by vegetables and unusual plants such as coffee. The garden explores the relationships between plants, people and natural resources and highlights the importance of plants for the future. |
The Eden Garden |
The Shloer Garden (Bronze) incorporated a tree house and a waterfall ran below it, the large central space felt a little 'lost' as if the designers were undecided about how to handle it. The plants, though were well chosen and beautifully placed. Chosen to demonstrate what we might be able to grow with changes in global temperatures they appealed to those of us from warmer climates than the UK.
Show sponsor Merrill Lynch Investment Managers' Garden for Learning (Silver Gilt) had a modern, almost playground feel to it with serpentine coils emerging from the ground and a seat on a rakish slant, supported by bright blue wheels. Conservation issues were represented with rainwater collection and recycling and a marshy area complete with a canon ball.
The Spidergarden.com Mother Earth Garden (Bronze) had a simple theme with tall rocks forming a stone circle around a central pool, symbolising water, one of the most powerful forces in nature. Planting in the garden was mainly organic herbs, with mature trees.
Courtyard gardens
The Display Gardens are the stars of Chelsea, but it is the courtyard gardens that appeal, more and more, to the average gardener and visitor.
Similar in size to so many town gardens, and the ideas expressed in the courtyards are those of other gardeners and design students. Budgets are small and more in line with the average pocket than those needed fo the extravaganzas seen in the Display Gardens. The Courtyards are the gardens most want to take home to their own back yard. |
Courtyard 'Garden of the Elements' |
"It needed something", said designer Catherina Malmberg, "so I dug up the Acers (Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum') from my own garden and put them in. They are going home with me after the Show!"
It was worth it. The design team for 'The Elements' courtyard took a Gold Medal and 'Best Courtyard' with them as well. The Elements evoked the four astrological elements, wind, earth, water and fire. The planting was simple and used foliage colour and textural contrasted. The courtyard as backed by a mirror and tall grasses gave height to the planting. |
Other student gardens also used a modern style, the striking Tastevin Garden was designed as a vintner's garden, the Artist's garden a tribute to Salvador Dali, the Urban Jungle one of the few tropical styled gardens we saw, and the Sensory Garden featured an area for each of the senses.
Courtyards by the garden and horticultural society were, in the main, more traditional in theme but demonstrated clearly and enthusiasm and love of plants. There were some beautiful courtyards amongst these. A courtyard in memory of Geoff Hamilton incorporated his ideals, another was dedicated to a fellow gardener suffering from motor neurone disease, for the disabled, for birds, bees and butterflies.
The themes were varied, imaginative and executed with enthusiasm, skill and a tremendous knowledge of plants. And very small budgets compared to the large display gardens.
Acknowledging this refreshing amateur enthusiasm at Chelsea, in an increasingly commercialised world, we feature a special page for the courtyard gardens.
Or go directly to the fabulous Floral Pavilions. |
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The Bradstone Grotto Garden
The Blue Circle Garden
The Shloer Garden
A Garden for Learning
The Mother Earth Garden
The Tastevin Courtyard
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The Fisherman's Retreat |
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