ARCHIVE - 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


 

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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 2010 - The Theme, the idea, the Adventure...
CHELSEA LIVE  :  NEW PLANTS  : PRESS AND MEDIA  :  MEET THE TEAM  :  DESIGNERS DIARY 
  SPONSORS AND SUPPLIERS  :  CHELSEA ARCHIVE (2009) 
MORE HILLIER ADVENTURES