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Flower show inspiration

Untitled Document

Sue Linn shares her snaps from two of the Northern Hemisphere’s most celebrated spring shows - London’s Chelsea Flower Show and Dublin’s Bloom in the Park.

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2015

London’s Chelsea Flower Show is the world’s most famous garden event. Run by Britain’s Royal Horticultural Society over five consecutive days each May, the 80 year old show is attended by 157,000 visitors each year, a number that is limited by the size of the venue.

This is a small sample of some of favourite gardens. These gardens are of such scale and detail that it is very hard to capture them in just one or two frames. To see more visit https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-chelsea-flower-show/Exhibitors

The Cloudy Bay Garden
A garden with a kiwi connection was among Chelsea’s 2015 gold winning gardens. The Cloudy Bay Garden was co-sponsored by Marlborough’s well-known winery.  Its planting represented ‘the fresh and clean tones of a Sauvignon Blanc with fragrant white and green planting, to the floral dark and earthy tones of the Pinot Noir’. Huge yew topiaries were a standout, accentuating perfectly the floaty grasses and perennials.

The Time in Between
A space to reflect, contemplate, celebrate and enjoy life, the designer created this garden ‘as a space to tell his late father about his life since his passing’. In it a beautiful brick water feature reflects the emotions felt at the loss of someone close - it can empty in a matter of seconds.

Sentebale – Hope in Vulnerability
You might argue that the garden that won Chelsea’s Peoples Choice Award had an unfair advantage; Prince Harry, but even without Harry in it, it was a pure people pleaser and the planting was exceptionally good, oozing textural contrast and pleasing colour combos. Prince Harry’s charity, Sentebale presented the ‘Hope in Vulnerability’ garden, to raise awareness of its work in Southern Africa ... read more here.

A perfumer’s Garden in Grasse
Image I
This picturesque depiction of a French Provence garden stole the hearts of many Chelsea visitors. It was in celebration of the resurgence of Grasse’s traditional perfume industry. To appreciate it fully see the RHS website or watch the video

Homebase Urban retreat
Intended as ‘a place for a small inner-city community to come together’, this garden takes its cue from modernist Bauhaus architecture. More clipped yew domes. Topiary will no doubt be in hot demand this UK spring.

The Beauty of Islam
A peaceful sanctuary garden was dedicated to Sheikh Zayed, the founding president of United Arab Emirates. A series of garden rooms with water flowing throughout, features plants representing the spread of Islam and Arab culture, including large Citrus trees and a stunning pomegranate. Designer Kamelia bin Zaal is the first female Arab landscape designer to participate at Chelsea.

The Laurent-Perrier Chatsworth Garden
‘A passion for naturalism and the wilder side of gardening’ was the design force of this magnificent garden with a trout stream running through it. Judged Best in Show, it is a representation of a slice of the real garden at Chatsworth, one of Britain’s large estates.

The World Vision Garden
Inspired by the beauty of Cambodia, this innovative design represented rice paddy feilds with bright yellow glass rods striking though dark water. 

The Morgan Stanley Healthy Cities Garden
English designer Chris Beardshaw’s was a guest designer at the Ellerslie International Flower Show in 2010. This year at Chelsea the veteran designer created an artistic impression of community. The diverse planting symbolises ‘a successful community of diverse in origin, colour and character’.

The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Garden
Striking in black and white featuring white-stemmed birch under-planted with soft pink and white flowers, this very feminine garden is a tribute to the designer’s sister in law. Read more here.

The Telegraph garden
British national newspaper The Telegraph holds the record as the only exhibitor to win Best Show Garden for three consecutive years. This 2015 design features bold geometric shapes and colour blocking, inspired by the ‘De Stijl’ movement.

SeeThe building of The Telegraph's Chelsea Flower Show garden in time-lapse photography here:

The Hidden Beauty of Kranji
This Singapore showcase was the tropical highlight at this year’s Chelsea. It featured a spectacular waterfall and supreme plant material including a comprehensive display of Singapore orchids.

The Royal Bank of Canada garden
Familiar New Zealand natives (Leptospermum ‘Red Damask’ and Libertia peregrinans)
were among the star plants in this plant-rich ‘zero-irrigation’ garden.

Bloom in the Park, Dublin 2015

The Bloom Garden Show is Ireland’s premier garden show event. Held in Dublin over the June bank holiday weekend (our Queens Birthday weekend). In contrast to Chelsea, Bloom is not only about gardens but is a much broader ‘all-things-horticulture’ food and garden event, run by the Irish Food Board (‘Bord Bia’).

Bloom’s exhibition gardens are a key draw card for the show. This year, the ninth for Bloom, over 90,000 visitors poured through its gates, despite some dodgy weather. Here is a sampling of the 25 Show Gardens that were part of Bloom 2015. To see more go to www.bloominthepark.com

Darkness into light
A leading favourite with judges and public alike, this garden tells a story about mental health and life-saving therapy.

Our lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin Garden
This colourful effervescent garden would undoubtedly appeal to kids seeking respite from dreary hospital wards. The judges awarded it Gold.

The Goal Garden
International humanitarian agency, GOAL, brought a mini shantytown to Bloom, highlighting the resourceful ways people make the most of living in poor urban environments.

Our Origin is Green
The designer of this Gold winning garden aimed to demonstrate an emerging confident Ireland after the recent reflective period.

The Solus Garden of Light
A restful planting pallet of green, soft yellows and creams featured in this this elegant garden, which also made excellent use of mirrored tiles reflecting light from within alcoves.

Specsavers Wonderful Awakening
The designer of this whimsical garden took her inspiration form the Dr Seuss quote, “I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.”

Sunwood’s Contemporary Expression Garden
The use of colourful paint at Bloom was reminiscent of the brightly painted buildings on the streets of Dublin. This is a young up and coming designer’s take on modern outdoor space.

Ronald McDonald House Garden
The theme for this garden was ‘keeping families together’. Designed as a santuray that is warm and inviting for both grownups and children.

Saison
Not a green house as you might think, but a bespoke brewery made from salvaged materials, beautifully complemented with naturalistic planting.

Super Garden Winner 2015
The winner of Ireland’s popular TV reality show, ‘Super Garden’ gets to exhibit at Bloom. It is a garden designed for a child living life in a wheelchair.

Calor’s Coast Garden
A compact coastal garden created by a mosaic artist.

Connect
A ‘contemplative’ garden space with beautiful use of timber.

 



2-Jul-2015

 

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