The Home Grown Area – Fields of Gold

Why did it catch my eye? Well it was very bright and cheerful for a start!

Yes it conveyed a message but best of all it created a great opportunity for some great photos – so allow me to introduce the Sunflowers…

There were a number of different varieties and they were all swarming with bees and other beneficial insects.

What a joy!

As the billing suggests this is one mammoth show and so much to take in in one day – so much so that it will be difficult to do all the exhibitors justice – but I’ll make a start and add further thoughts later!

The show gardens normally define the show, but at Hampton Court they form only one of many varied garden themes and styles. So was there a strong theme that ran through the gardens? – well if there was I couldn’t detect it! Variety providing the spice of life. What was interesting however was that there were two notably different approaches to the show gardens. The one extreme being exhibited by the young Jack Dunckley with his Birchfield garden – to say this was a riot of colour would be a masterful understatement. Jack used over 100 trolleys of plants from the nursery that his family now own. It was almost as if he wished to show every plant they had in stock! The colours dazzled – it was indeed a riot!

The other extreme was shown in the Combat Stress Therapeutic Garden designed by Fi Boyle - where bright colours were – by definition – missing. This was as soft, warm and relaxing as it is possible to create. The careful blend of planting bringing no surprises or shocks. The layout designed to engender reassurance and wellbeing. This garden is a real garden as well as a show garden – which as Fi said may not win her the marks from the show judges!

Each camp had their followers with the Legoland Garden by Paula Young & Paul Howard &

the A Matter of Urgency garden, by Jill Foxley

and the Girlguiding UK Centenary Garden by Phillipa Pearson 

erring more towards Jack’s vision of bright colours – where they differed and perhaps in their execution was that they showed a more unified approach to the application of a colour theme or themes to bring the gardens together.

Fighting the limited colour pallette corner were the Living Room by Mike Hodges & Hambrooks – showing a tranquil vision in white,

and echoed by the Copella Bee Garden in its use of predominantly blue spectrum planting

and the Sadolin Refresh and Revive garden

reverting to a whiter theme again.

Sitting in the middle was An Uprising of Kindness garden by Bill Butterworth

which cleverly combined a couple of colour themes to tell a powerful story of picking up the pieces of a broken life.

So maybe the use of colour provides a key to the gardens this year, amongst all the stories told and the visions portrayed.

Then I captured this marvellous moment when Fi Boyle had some of the soldiers for whom the garden is intended lining up for a photo-call – perhaps a little colour in the garden isn’t so bad after all?

You may also like: Hampton Court Palace Flower Show overview

This is a relatively new London green space with a mix of parkland and more formal garden areas. When I say parkland its not anything like the scale of say Hyde Park and the layout is much more formal and structured. The tree planting is what strikes you first with areas of single species of tree planted in extensive grids

 with paths mown through the wider meadow grass areas guiding you through form one area to the next – with views out to the engineering feat that is The Thames Barrier.

Large groups of school children snake through the park or sit in attentive circles and still the peace is shattered by the endless pounding!

There is a pavilion which acts as a memorial to The Victims of War in the London Borough of Newham – it bears a striking resemblance to the pavilion used by Robert Myers in his Chelsea garden for Cancer Research UK with the circular cut out in the roof.

The element of the garden that I had particularly come to see however was the large rectangular formal garden with ribbons of topiarised Yew hedging trimmed in undulating waves running the entire length of the garden, crossed overhead with angled walkways.

The dominant yew was broken with subtle blocks of colour again using single species of plants as block planting, including Iris, Geranium, Perovskia, Hemerocallis, Choisya, nepeta, Ceanothus, Lavandula, Rosmarinus, Sedum, Potentilla, Acanthus, Philadelphus, Anemone, Salvia and others.

The effect was perhaps best seen from overhead (the garden is almost underground) as closer scrutiny identified the problems associated with maintaining such an elaborate garden.

 Some of the yew was in less than prime condition and it was evident that the irrigation system appeared to be in hot demand and not really up to the job. Light availability caused by the ever hungry Yew hedges also had an impact – but this is perhaps to be over critical of a hugely adventurous garden that was a pleasure to be in and enjoy – below ground I was also impervious to that wretched pounding too!

One aspect that both surprised me and inspired me was the way that the boundaries of the park had been carefully constructed to fit in to its immediate surroundings – plants, trees and shrubs formed symbolic barriers in the form of the structure over the river and the blocks of flats that run along its western boundary.

This shows that even in an urban environment you can help a garden fit in wherever you are.

I am glad I made the effort to go and spend some time here and it lived up to my expectations well – so if you fancy exploring London beyond the normal limits, take a trip on the Docklands light railway and enjoy The Green Dock  – it will improve with maturity – not least because they will have finished the pile driving before too long so then you will be able to enjoy it in peace!

To avoid Tulip fly - which Head Gardener Glyn Jones points out would mean no more Tulips at Hidcote for around 20 years! That’s a lot of bulbs to plant and dig up every year and they simply give them away to staff, volunteers and visitors. Each year the display is different and they work with J Parkers to supply the bulbs annually and all certificated clean stock.

Today these blooms were in full display – a day of variable weather ranging from rain to bright sunshine but always rather cooler than might have been ideal – I gather May 2010  is heading for being one of the coldest ever!

They have adopted a couple of different planting styles for the tulips and to good effect. Some borders for example in the Maple Garden Contain borders with just a single variety planted ‘en masse’ and bounded by neat Buxus hedges.

The Red Border mixes varieties and colours but still retaining bold tranches of individual varieties.

In the Pillar garden it is rather more relaxed, which contrasts well with the formality of the upright pillars and Prunus Amanagowa.

In the white garden too the Tulip planting supports the other white blooms including Dicentra spectabilis Alba.

The Old Garden sees yet another style of planting called ribbon planting where a ribbon like trail threads its way through the borders – Glyn pointed out the obvious mistake in this years planting where a rather shocking yellow variety had crept in to an otherwise orderly transition through soft pastel shades! Good to know that mistakes are not limited to our own gardens!

The display was truly stunning and set off these amazingly influential gardens superbly which,  although regarded as being quintessentially English were laid out by and American by the name of Lawrence Johnston over 100 years ago. Everywhere you turn you can see how this Arts and Crafts garden of ‘rooms’ has been influencing gardens and garden designers ever since.

My thanks to Glyn and to Alitex for organising the tour today and I look forward to returning later in the season to see how the planting that replaced the Tulips is shaping up!

Glyn’s flower of the day was actually not a Tulip at all but a beautiful blue Gentian in the newly finished Rock Bank

- the colour was mesmerising and it serves to highlight the work done by gardens like Hidcote in the role of plant hunting both when the gardens were originally laid out by both Johnston and George Forrest but also by the team today who are retracing the steps of their forebears and working with the authorities in places like China to work on preserving plant heritage and in discovering new species.

A great day out with the tulips that actually revealed more about the remarkable gardens at Hidcote.

This arrival was stranger still when one of my clients called across to me, having arrived moments before – had I really been driving for 2 hours to a wet field to talk to a client (and friend!) who is barely 5 minutes drive from home? We could have saved ourselves the trouble and had tea at home! It was great to see them and catch up on their garden, which is coming on – and I was reminded that I still owed them some plants that had been unavailable last season! That will be a great opportunity to go and see the garden again so really looking forward to that.

Tea seeemd the only sensible choice and a chance to ponder the catalogue before setting off to find others that I had promised to try and find. I am sure I could have bought an entire tea plantation for the sum I was asked for for my steaming brew - but needs must… The decision to wear warm clothes and a waterproof jacket was now totally justified and tea consumed I set off on my search.

First stop was the Garden Organic stand manned by the delightful Verity Thompson. It was good to catch up and sparked an idea for further collaboration at The Garden Network.

One of my main reasons for visiting as a Garden Designer is to look at the Show Gardens. Malvern isn’t known as a hotbed for innovation particularly but it can provide some neat glimpses at how other designers approach a garden or planting and I particularly enjoyed chatting with Deb Bird about her garden The Nature of Nurture which particularly struck a chord as I learned much of my gardening from my parents and grandparents. Perhaps one of the most interesting ideas though came in the Schools Section, where  two gardens featured greenhouses made from recycled plastic bottles.

Malvern Spring Show this year also played host the the Bloggers Meet at Malvern and it was great to meet so many people that I had only read articles by.

Huge thanks to Michelle Chapman (Veg Plotting) and Helen Johnstone (The Patient Gardener) for organising it all – great job. Biscuits were sponsored by James Alexander Sinclair (Encounters with Remarkable Biscuits)

with contributions from Yolanda (Bliss) amongst others!

It was also great to chat with Cleve West and Joe Swift who were both very generous with their time – always appreciated.

I did make it round to some of the other stands notably the Wiggly Wigglers stand in the Eco Tent where – as a blogger – we received a copy of a rather wonderful book called Bringing a Garden to Life. The day ended with a meeting with Claudia de Yong who shared some tips on sourcing products for the garden as well as agreeing to contribute content to The Garden Network on this topic, for which she is well known!

The Chris Beardshaw Scholarship was won by Maria Luisa Medina who starts an amazing journey designing gardens at both Malvern Autumn Show and culmintaing in a Chelsea Garden for 2011

The title for the gardens the seven prospective scholars was The Circus and I’ll leave you with this interesting picture of some amazing acrobats who added their performance to the proceedings!

Joy then when Luciano smiles in a totally relaxed greeting. Here is a man who has met his demons and come to terms with them in a measured and philosophical way. Chelsea clearly marked a turning point and saw the culmination of nearly 15 years experience in designing beautiful, bold gardens that I suspect will be held up as examples of garden design for many many years. His gardens are not for the faint hearted and perhaps don’t meet everyones idea of what a garden should be.

Here is a man so dedicated to his art that nothing stands in his way in seeking the ultimate in garden design.

Born in Sienna, Ital he studied garden design at Inchbald and was heavily influenced by the scene in London in the early 1990′s. Every single element of his designs has importance and are more than just lines on the drawing paper. His two fascinations are light and food, with his gardens becoming an extension of the kitchen, which he explains, are frequently the main living areas in contemporary London houses. They display a simplicity in form, light and shade, however this simplicity masks a truly in depth knowleedge of the materials and plants that he is working with.

He is keen to point out that his designs are a collaboration between all the people that he works with, from architects and sculptors to specialist furniture makers, plant nurseries and many others. He spends time researching the elements that will help make his designs work on many levels, not only during the day but also at night where discreet lighting gives his gardens a whole new dimension.

This business of collaboration and working together is important and we encourage members of The Garden Network to do just exactly that, and to maintain their integrity in solving the garden design problems that face them. This can be quite a challenge, but as Luciano explained – many of his gardens take up to 4 years to create and he now has a time awareness that means he can choose who he works with and for. I guess when you reach these heights that becomes important but it is very clear from the outset that he very much intended to be the very best he could be.

It was great to meet Luciano and learn from him. I can certainly see ways in which he can influence the work that I undertake for my clients so really glad I made the effort to attend his garden design masterclass.

Luciano Giubbilei website - take a look at more of his stunning work. 

ps: This was one of a series of Garden Design Masterclasses held at the Oxford College of Garden Design

Both soil types have their advantages and disadvantages, here we will focus on the clay and look at what we can do to improve it.

Clay does have some benefits – though those may be difficult to see and appreciate when the weather is cold and wet. The ground becomes completely sodden and unworkable.It sticks to your fork and you can’t dig it – and if you could it won’t really do any good. Extracting weeds is a nightmare and you begin to wonder whether gardening is really for you. It’s hard, back breaking work and so unrewarding.

But wait – you heard me say that clay has some benefits – like what?

The small clay particles that make it so difficult to work and so poor draining have the benefit of retaining lots of wonderful nutrients. Nutrients that plants like roses absolutely love. Sandy soil tends to see these nutrients washed away.

The heavy nature of the clay soil also means that larger plants have better anchorage and are less prone to being blown over in the wind. A garden that I am working on at the moment has more tree stakes and props than I have ever seen and all because the soil has no real structure for the plants to hold on to.

Having said that clay retains nutrients – it is important that the plants are given to opportunity of taking these up and this is where amelioration of the soil comes in.

A garden that I have been working on for a number of years had the most unworkable clay soil that I can recall encountering. Even my parents clay soil in Cheshire pales in to second place. Yet over the last few years we have worked wonders with the soil to the point now where it is easy to work and a wide variety of plants benefit.

The secret to this transformation? Hard work - digging and aerating – resulting in a broken back? Not on your life!

The secret is applying a layer of organic material about 2 inches thick every year. Then sitting back and letting the worms do all the hard work! It is important to vary the type of organic material applied so that a variety of nutrients are released. Sticking with say – spent mushroom compost will lead to the soil becoming quite acid so use well rotted farmyard manure, leaf mould, soil improver and compost.

What does this do to the soil? The humus in the organic material- that dark slimy goo – that results from the material breaking down actually combines with the tiny particles to make larger particles. This allows better drainage, more air circulation and freer, more friable soil. The worms take the organic material down meaning that you don’t have to. When you do come to dig out weeds or replant the ground it becomes an easier, much less painful experience.

So don’t put your back into it just apply a layer of organic material every year and watch your soil transform. The bad news is that because organic material continues breaking down, the soil will revert in time to the clay that came before. If you have sandy soil and are wondering what the remedy for that is – well actually it is the same! Yes – organic material in the form of compost and other material will have an equally beneficial effect on this too! No wonder gardeners often refer to it as black gold!

An excerpt from the full article :

First impressions of the garden are clearly crucial when trying to sell or let a property.

Over half – 55% – of prospective home buyers rated the state of the garden as important as the inside of the house.

The top turn-off for buyers is junk such as old fridges, mattresses and toys littering the garden – cited by 71%.

Other off-putting gardening gripes are dog mess, cited by 63%, overflowing rubbish bins (54%), plants intruding into the walls of the house (53%) and dilapidated sheds (52%) or decking (50%).

Sellers should also take care to avoid too many weeds (47%), uneven or grubby patios (46%), overgrown lawns (42%) and untrimmed trees (41%).

Privacy is the main thing home buyers look for in a garden – cited by 61%. After that, a patio (54%) and lawn (50%) top their wish lists.

But millions of homeowners are failing to tend their gardens regularly and 45% do not grow any plants or flowers.

As a garden designer seeing results of research like this is quite alarming. Creating a great garden that meets the needs of the owners is one of the challenges we face every day. I am frequently asked by people for a ‘low maintenance garden’ and while ‘no maintenance’ isn’t really an option you can certainly design gardens that will look great without too much knowledge or experience.

A recent project transformed a very dull rectangle that was both high maintenance and un-attractive

in to a usable space that not only added value to the property but also added value to the owners and their pleasure in being able to use the garden

Getting a garden designer to help you with this transformation will help you maximise the value of the space and will ensure that you don’t end up with costly mistakes.

So don’t lose out with your property, the garden is such an important part of it and with a little help you can be really proud of it. We’ll take you through the process and ensure that all your requirements are met, not only offering advice on suitable plants but also on layouts that will maximise your benefit – frequently coming up with ideas that wouldn’t be considered either by yourself or by simply employing the services of a landscaper.

What are you waiting for get out there and enjoy your own personal outdoor world!

This week I attended the first Hard Landscaping Show, at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry and while my first impressions of Coventry aren’t exactly glowing it turned in to quite a day. It started at the HQ of NFU Mutual on the outskirts of Stratford on Avon. I was generously accommodated in the Farmhouse – my fellow B&B ‘ers were none other than the main board of Directors preparing for a board meeting that morning – it made for an interesting breakfast! NFU Mutual sponsor the Garden Network which I have been running for just on a year now.

As owner of the Garden Network I make an effort whenever I can to get out and meet members. It’s fantastic to put faces to names. These are people that only exist in a sort of parallel universe normally – today I was going to meet them for real.

There were three members present that I was particularly keen to meet for the first time, as well as catching up with a few others that I had met previously. The first meeting was with ‘fenlandphil‘ – who was a real gentleman and clearly passionate about his company making ironwork for gardens. Despite 23 or more years in business he still seemed as keen as mustard to find new ways to promote his business both on and offline – if you need obelisks and garden seats this is the place to go!

My next meeting was with Kerry Jackson. Wow – what a surprise! My expectation was completely shredded! Sometimes we pigeon hole people for reasons that I am not entirely sure. Here was a man so driven and enthusiastic for his work, and it was stunning. He has developed a very strong identity and has won a number of awards for his work – including one at the show. I have arranged to meet up with Kerry again at the Malvern Spring Show to look at the show gardens together – I am really looking forward to that as I anticipate we will challenge each others thinking in a really positive way. I’m also looking forward to seeing some of his gardens ‘in real life’ when I get a chance.

The third person was again quite a surprise. Claudia de Yong is well known for her water gardens – not least when she triumphed at Hampton Court, winning a Gold Medal and  the Tudor Rose in 2006 for her garden hotsprings. When you meet what might be described as garden design royalty, it is difficult to know what to expect. My fears were totally unfounded and we chatted for several hours about garden design, encounters with others and how we ran our businesses. The rapport that developed was interesting and demonstrates the benefit of networking. Although we might technically be regarded as competitors, we actually started looking for ways that we could enhance each others businesses through collaboration.

All of the people that I met will be beneficial in helping me develop my ideas and further extending my knowledge and personal network. So much for gardening being lonely then! By seeking out others you can enrich your experience and gain knowledge that will help you get even greater enjoyment out your garden and your life! So who’s up for meeting at Malvern?

For those that cannot wait to get their garden inspiration there is the altogether more relaxed, rural affair that is Malvern. Set in the foothills of the Malvern Hills – where incidentally my sister and mother in law both attend school (not at the same time I hasten to add!!). A school that I think has now amalgamated with others but was affectionately known as the ‘dump on the hump’ – I digress..

As a garden designer and someone who is passionate about seeing continued professional development, Malvern holds a golden key. In 2007, garden designer Chris Beardshaw founded his mentoring scholarship. This offers designers the opportunity of working with Chris for 12 months, which is amazing! This year the scholarship has attracted 8 garden entries under the title ‘Circus’.

It is these gardens, which sit alongside 16 Show Gardens and numerous gardening, art, craft and food stalls, that will be the focus of my visit this year. I shall also be joining VP and the patient gardener for their Meet @ Malvern blogfest!

I am also hoping to meet up with some of the keen gardeners on the Garden Network so do let me know if you are going I’d love to say hello!