This year we were heavily involved with growing for three fabulous award-winning gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show. It’s been a really challenging year for show growing, especially without our usual space and the awful wet and overcast weather. We even had to commandeer part of the nursery garden to grow the plants (good job it’s a family business).
Cas and I managed a day out at the show which was lovely. That being said, it was still a working day off. We were invited to be part of a panel at the Garden Museum in London hosted by Project Giving Back. A seminar day with designers pencilled in for Chelsea 2025. The show itself was still in full swing and planning for next year is already well underway. So much so in fact that we are already fully booked for show growing for Chelsea 2025!
Bringing the focus back to this year and the effort from all the team at the nursery, going above and beyond, was well worth it with four amazing accolades – two Silver Gilts, a People’s Choice, and a Gold.
Here’s a closer look at those three gardens for Chelsea this year:
The Pulp Friction Growing Skills Garden
We loved being part of growing for this garden at Chelsea, fittingly in the All About Plants category. Designed by Will and Tin-Tin from Dutch Landscape Architects, for Pulp Friction. They created an inspirational, tranquil garden, plus all the plants were edible.
These guys were a pleasure to work with. It was their first Chelsea and they took home a thoroughly deserved Silver Gilt medal. What’s more, they were voted People’s Choice in their category.
Pulp Friction are an amazing organisation offering people with learning disabilities and autism an opportunity to get into work. They support their members to develop their social, independence and work readiness skills through individual development programmes designed with their members to reflect everyone’s hopes, dreams and aspirations.
Will and Tin-Tin worked closely with sixty members of Pulp Friction who not only helped with putting the garden together but also grew some cracking plants that are instrumental to the garden.
The Panathlon Joy Garden
Also in the All About Plants category, the second garden we grew for was the Panathlon Joy Garden designed by Penelope Walker from Llevelo Garden Design.
The Panathlon Joy Garden highlights the importance of grassroots sporting opportunities for children with disabilities and special educational needs. It is a colourful and uplifting space that aims to show joy is for everyone and that we all deserve the chance to enjoy life. Its message is that inclusivity, confidence, and normalising difference are all connected and improving these boosts mental wellbeing and brings joy.
We loved this garden for its bold use of colour from the colourful, wavy backdrop to the rich and varied planting. The amazing Platanus x hispanica ‘Malburg’ trees with curvy stems really set this garden apart.
This is the first garden to showcase a wheelchair friendly path in its category.
We had such a tough time with the plants for this garden because the wet and dull Spring curtailed not only growth, but initiating flower buds was so tricky.
Penelope Walker was a joy to work with and despite the difficulties she found a way to achieve a stunning garden, resulting in a thoroughly deserved Silver Gilt medal.
The Sue Ryder Grief Kind Garden
The third garden we grew for at this year’s Chelsea was the Sue Ryder Grief Kind Garden designed by Katherine Holland Garden Design. A stunning garden in the All About Plants category.
The garden is a safe and peaceful sanctuary to sit within the beauty of nature, whilst sharing experiences of grief, or having a moment of quiet reflection. This was highlighted in the planting that was chosen for its sensory and calming properties.
Plant selection included Nepeta ‘Summer Daze’, Nepeta ‘Amelia’, Geranium ‘Eureka Blue’, Erigeron ‘Lavender Lady’, Acanthus ‘Rue Ledan’, Aquilegia ‘Yellow Queen’, Calycanthus ‘Venus’ to name a few.
Katherine spent a day in the How Green Nursery garden mocking up her show garden and playing around with plant combinations. Probably not helped by the ever enthusiastic Jasper the doodle and his relentless ball throwing needs, plus a posse of kids at a family birthday!
We’re so delighted to have worked closely with Katherine. Her meticulous attention to detail deservedly won her a Gold medal.
Heartfelt congratulations to all those involved with these three wonderful gardens.
