Environmentally friendly planting seems to be a thread that runs through BBC Gardeners’ World Live 2022. From bug hotels and planting for pollinators to ditching sprays and plastic, there are plenty of ideas for making gardening greener.
Leading the way is the feature garden by Gardeners’ World presenter Frances Tophill. It was my first stop as I was keen to find out how her debut show garden had turned out, having talked to her about it back in May. (You can read the interview here.)
A mix of flowers and edibles – every area was planned to be useful – it’s doesn’t have the ‘polish’ usually associated with show gardens but, unlike many of those high-cost designs, it has plenty of features that could be easily copied.
It also has height – unusual in gardens at shows – with the biggest bug hotel I’ve encountered. The shed and the greenhouse have both been made using reclaimed materials, adding to the quirky charm of the garden.
The judges also liked it and it has won Best Show Garden and a Showcase Garden Platinum awards.
Pippa Probert uses her garden to show what can be created without using plastics. She’s also incorporated wicker bee and dragonfly sculptures into the borders.
Butterflies underpin Rachel Platt’s ‘The Metamorphosis Garden’ at BBC Gardeners’ World Live 2022, which was inspired by the quote “If nothing ever changed, there’d be no butterflies.” It’s enclosed by walls, creating somewhere that feels secure while the butterfly friendly planting has been designed to appeal to all the senses.
Garden Organic’s ‘Small Space – Big Ideas’ design is perfect for those with limited room to grow. Not only is the ‘plot’just 5m x 5m, it’s also completely paved.
Making the most of vertical space and carefully thought out containers mean it’s still full of vegetables and plants chosen for pollinators.
Anna Pawlowska’s ‘Old is Gold’ garden is underpinned by recycling – I particularly liked the fence made from old doors.
The Beautiful Borders
My favourite among the Beautiful Borders also has a strong wildlife theme. ‘Pretty Wild’ by Jordan Weston demonstrates that a wildlife friendly garden need not lose out on style.
I loved the colours and the way the planting played off against the rusty tones of the bird baths.
A beautiful lawn is the aim of many gardeners but Aaron Marubbi suggests ‘There’s an alternative to the green desert’ with a border that contrasts the sterility of the perfect lawn with a flower-filled area of a cultivated meadow.
Rachel Glover’s ‘Equatorial Suburbia’ with its jungle-like planting was highly suitable for what turned out to be a hot and sunny press day.
The Nurseries at Gardeners’ World Live 2022
With the BBC celebrating its centenary, many of the nurseries took inspiration from their favourite TV programmes for their Floral Marquee displays.
The Repair Shop was the starting point for Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants’ exhibit with a gardening-themed workshop.
Plant in dark colours add to the industrial feel of Alexandra Froggett’s Peaky Blinders Hideaout, which includes some artefacts from the Black Country Living Museum.
BBC Gardeners’ World Live 2022 is also where you can see the Tardis, thanks to Dibleys Nurseries.
Naturally, there are beautiful plants to see as well with displays from some of the country’s leading nurseries.
And some of them were really getting into the holiday mood with brightly coloured blooms.
After a long day looking around, it was The Garden Design Co.’s The Living Landscape. . . A Nostalgic Experience that really appealed though. That natural swimming pool was so tempting.
BBC Gardeners’ World Live 2022 runs until June 19. For more information, visit the website.
Enjoyed this? Sign up for an email alert for future posts.
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2022 Mandy Bradshaw