ARCHIVE

Adventures in Gardening - Hillier at Chelsea 2010

In partnership with the Scotts Miracle-Gro company

Adventures in Gardening aims to put the enjoyment and discovery back into gardening. New gardeners can be put off by fear of failure. The soil a plant requires, its position in the garden, pruning and other cultural requirements can be all too much for the experienced gardener, let alone the novice. Some success, whatever you are growing spurs you on to try again, to venture further into the wonderful world of gardening.
Most plants grow on most soils. Providing you plant them with respect, and give them a little TLC during the early stages of their lives, they will succeed, even if you make a few mistakes with pruning, feeding and watering later on. Remember this and it will give you confidence to have a go and venture further into unfamiliar territory.

What always helps is a bit of advice and encouragement from those that have ventured along the trail before you. The Hillier exhibit at Chelsea 2010 will be a forum for the exchange of knowledge as gardeners divulge their tips in the Secret Garden. Here too you can ask the Oracle for help and advice on problems you have encountered. The resulting pool of wisdom will be available to all through www.lovethegarden.com, www.hillier.co.uk and www.rhs.org

Attempts to satisfy the requirements of the plants can stifle creativity. Theadventure of putting plants together to achieve exciting combinations of colour, texture and form stimulates the desire to explore further. Adventures in Gardening, Chelsea 2010 will take you on a journey through familiar territory but into the unknown. Although many of the plants are familiar hardy trees, shrubs and perennials they are magically woven together into something new, exciting and inspiring. This is what gardening is all about – creating a picture, another world that transports the gardener to a different land, far away from the fear of failure.

The Themes...

Venetian Adventure

A masked ball provides the inspiration for this garden with planting in rich Venetian colours. Deep plum purple, dark sapphire blue, crimson, cerise pink, burnt orange and black with hints of metallic gold and silver. A sophisticated small garden designed for entertaining and enjoyment.

Moroccan Magic

Deep red terracotta render conjures images of the red walls of Marrakech. Bright blue, orange and yellow echo the vibrant hues of Jardin Majorelle. Silver foliage and aromatic pines suggest hot, arid conditions. This is a small garden to enjoy the sun on summer days, and revel in the romantic mood of starry Arabian Nights.

Indian Intrigue, China Dreams

The Himalayan region was the destination of many a great plant hunter and English gardens owe much to the flora of this region. China gave us many of our most beautiful hardy plants. This is a plant collector’s garden celebrating some of the treasures of the plant world that can be grown by any gardener with a passion for plants.

White Water

The excitement of white water; the cool, calm effect of green and white planting around still and moving water crossed by stepping stones - a route to The Secret Garden perhaps? This garden creates the illusion of space using water, to provide the dimension of height and depth, and a limited colour palette.

Sylvan Spirit

A woodland trail showcases the beauty of slender trees and the plants that thrive in their shadows. The pale bark of birches brings light to the shade. The variety of colour and form of foliage transforms the lower layer of planting with or without the presence of flowers. This planting picture could be used for a small shaded town garden or a much larger country plot. 

The Secret Garden

Hidden behind leafy screens this tranquil green oasis houses the Throne of Knowledge and the Couch of Consultation where you can ask the Oracle for guidance. Not immediately visible to passers by the observant will catch glimpses into the garden and words of wisdom and advice will be seen on screens in the open information point in the heart of the exhibit.
 

CHELSEA LIVE 2009 - the finished exhibit

'Gardening for the Time of Your Life'

We've won our 64th consecutive Chelsea Gold Medal - Congratulations to all the Team
Chelsea 2009 - See Pictures of our finished Exhibit below


 

Click each of the images for a larger, medium resolution copy. 
PRESS: if you would like a higher resolution image, please click here  

Surviving Suburbia

This colourful garden demonstrates how seclusion and privacy can be achieved using trees, hedges and features. The photinia hedge is evergreen; looking good throughout the year, especially in spring when the new red growth provides welcome colour. If clipped again in mid summer it will produce another flush of red growth that will often hold its colour into winter.

Light airy height is provided by Betula albosinensis ‘Fascination’, which also has wonderful bark for year-round interest. This is also a feature of the aptly named Prunus maackii ‘Amber Beauty’. At this time of the year the garden is full of flowers; when they fade the colour is maintained by Acer palmatum ‘Katsura’ and Phormium ‘Pink Panther’.

Pots from a selection by Woodlodge. Monaco arbour by Forest painted with Cuprinol Garden shades: Willow.

 First Base

Light colour and texture create an illusion of space in this small garden. Height in the foreground is provided by a multi-stemmed Himalayan birch and Acacia baileyana ‘Purpurea’. The blue-grey and purple tones of the acacia foliage are picked up by Salvia officinalis ‘Purpurascens’ in the underplanting.

The soft silver foliage of Elaeagnus ‘Quicksilver’ creates gentle waves above the gently arching stems of Deutzia x rosea ‘Carminea’ and pale flowers, limestone gravel and pale rendered walls make up the picture along with sleek, stylish paving features by organicstone.

Lilac ceramic and recycled glass pots provide points of emphasis in the planting and carry it onto the terrace.

Pushing up the Daisies

A quiet shaded pool surrounded by ferns, hostas and zantedeschias is the setting for a lichen encrusted bench – just the place to reflect upon a great life spent gardening. Bright green Sarracenia flava and Primula japonica ‘Miller’s Crimson and ‘Postford White’ enjoy the damp waterside soil.

Grand Designs

Wide, gentle steps rise through a hornbeam arch towards a magnificent hornbeam spiral living sculpture.

The path is lines with layers of Viburnum plicatum ‘Mariesii’ overhung by the soft copper tinted foliage of Acer palmatum ‘Suminagashi’.

Tiny lights twinkle amongst the moss and ferns to light your way as you arrive in style in your Grand Designs era.

The magnificent copper and glass sculpture by Mehrdad Tafreshi of Quist rises from a sea of lilac and gold rhododendrons that ripples beneath a foam of Cornus controversa ‘Variegata’.

This concentration of flowers and cocktail of colour is the very essence of Chelsea – The Great British Flower Show.

Losing the Plot

A pretty arbour is a lovely focal point in this small garden and sheltered spot to sit and enjoy the fragrance of the roses and the song of the birds.

Well chosen plants provide a variety of colour form and texture for interest throughout the year.

Summarising some of the ideas in Andrew McIndoe’s new book ‘Losing the Plot’, published in Chelsea week 2009 this garden showcases those plants that you might choose if you only have room for one or two of a kind.

Gravel embroidered with sedums and thymes is an easy to care for alternative to a lawn. Pots and raised planters house permanent planting of hard working garden plants.

Coping with Kids

Every child’s dream garden – A place for adventure and discovery in the outside world.

The Dandelion playhouse by Forest is painted in Sunflower Garden Shades by Cuprinol.

Sculpture trails by Organic Stone with highlights of coloured gravel lead to the peanut shaped lawn by Ecoturf – a place to play on spacehoppers or experience the tyre swing. Bird, bat and butterfly boxes and a barrel pond are havens for wildlife.

Seasonal colour in the garden is restricted to orange and yellow – bright uplifting colours that appeal to young eyes.

Stonewaves by organicstone

Always innovative, original and inspirational the team at organicstone have done it again.

Delicate designs on the pathway though the exhibit create a magic carpet that transports visitors through Gardens for the Time of their Life.

The Hillier Chelsea Flower Show Team 2009

We’ve had the time of our life creating this exhibit – hope you enjoy it too!

CHELSEA 2011 - Feel Good about Gardening
CHELSEA LIVE  :  NEW PLANTS  : PRESS AND MEDIA  :  MEET THE TEAM  :  DESIGNERS DIARY 
  SPONSORS AND SUPPLIERS  :  CHELSEA ARCHIVE  
CHELSEA SHOW STEALERS - some of our favourites