Portable, small space gardens and tackling pollution through plants are two of the ideas being explored with the help of Cotswold designer Paul Hervey-Brookes at this month’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Paul, whose design business is based in Tetbury, is mentoring a new Container Gardens category and creating an installation using plants that can combat CO².
The five Container Gardens, which won’t be judged, are being made by newly qualified designers and cover a range of styles. Each has been given a 4m x 3m space, enclosed by a hedge and with either a slate or gravel floor.
“The idea is these container gardens all inherited the same space, the same floor, the same boundaries as if it were a new build development. It’s to give people an idea of what they could do,” explains Paul.
Sara Edwards, who won gold and Best in Show for her container garden at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival in 2019, is making a pocket forest using repurposed Intermediate Bulk Containers used in global trade. She hopes to show that even the smallest space can become an urban forest.
Anna Dabrowska-Jaudi is hoping to raise awareness of mental health issues with her garden. A living wall will represent fear, emptiness and despair while the planting in the containers is symbolic of empathy, joy and light.
Ellie Edkins was a finalist in the Young Designer contest at RHS Tatton earlier this year and components from that garden are being recycled for her Chelsea garden, which is inspired by coastal living.
Mika Misawa’s garden is aimed at people who are seeking tranquillity in a city and follows a Japanese style with carefully arranged boulders and gravel, and a single flowering plant.
In contrast, John McPherson’s garden is full of vibrant colour and takes its inspiration from pop and street art.
“To me, it appeals to a completely different type of person to those you would normally see at the show,” says Paul. “It’s more somebody who wants an outdoor space they enjoy but they are not a plants person.”
There were around 50 entries for the Container Gardens that were whittled down to the final five. Paul has been mentoring the five designers through regular meetings and is on site during the build to help them.
“I’ve really enjoyed having the opportunity to work with five new people to the show who I really think are bringing something quite different.”
He is also creating an installation for RHS Chelsea that will highlight plants that are best suited to tackling pollution. It’s based on an urban planting project he’s carrying out in France.
Plants with small, hairy leaves are the best at capturing CO² and the tiered display will include rudbeckia, lonicera, ginkgo, and betula. Visitors will be able to view the installation from all sides and there will be two benches integrated into it.
“It has been interesting to bring a feature to the show which isn’t based on my personal aesthetic or my design style,” says Paul. “It’s based on what science says works best and that’s a really interesting challenge to make that group of things look appealing.”
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show runs from September 21-26. More details here.
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