In the centenary year of the world's greatest flower show, many of the Show Gardens at the 2013 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, sponsored by M&G Investments, are promoting a greener, brighter future by highlighting sustainable living, ways to preserve Britain's horticultural heritage and the protection of some of the world's most vulnerable people.
Marking the significance of the year in the history of the Show, The M&G Garden, designed by Roger Platts will be a celebration of garden design over the past 100 years. A garden of modern plant varieties and classic design, it captures the design trends and themes of RHS Chelsea shows, both past and present, to show that, although design has evolved, many trends have stood the test of time.
In partnership with Sentebale, a charity established by HRH Prince Harry after he spent time working with vulnerable children in Lesotho, B&Q returns to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show with a garden designed by Jinny Blom. The B&Q Sentebale ‘Forget-me-Not' Garden is a contemporary, conceptual evocation of the landscape and culture of Lesotho designed to raise awareness of the work of the charity.
Championing the English landscape renowned designer, Christopher Bradley-Hole, returns to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show after eight years with a garden for the Daily Telegraph. The contemporary, Japanese-influenced garden celebrates English native trees and shrubs, whilst drawing attention to the challenges posed to them by settlement, civilisation and cultivation.
Also highlighting the preservation of Britain's horticultural heritage, Jo Thompson, designing for the Food and Environment Research Agency, will create a garden that communicates the threat faced by British trees and plants, from pests, diseases and invasive species. It is a garden of two distinct characters which contrasts beautiful, herbaceous planting with an avenue of dead trees.
Looking towards a sustainable future for urban living, the East Village Garden, designed by Michael Balston and Marie-Louise Aguis for Delancy, picks up the ‘designed for living' theme of the Olympic legacy East Village. The garden represents the sustainable regeneration of an urban environment, celebrating local history and the creation and delivery of London's ‘Legacy Promise'.
Royal Bank of Canada, Flemings and Homebase will also be drawing on the theme of sustainable living with gardens to attract wildlife and conserve resources such as water and energy. Stockton Drilling Ltd will create a garden designed to promote the use of natural materials and traditional crafts.
Recognising the impact horticulture can have on wellbeing, multiple disability charity, Seeability, in partnership with Coutts, will create a garden which celebrates that life can still be enriched by maximising limited vision and other senses. Arthritis Research UK have commissioned designer, Chris Beardshaw, who was himself diagnosed with arthritis at the age of 19, to create a garden representing the positive, personal journey of someone suffering from the disease.
Stoke-on-Trent Garden Partnership will create a garden of Transformation, illustrating the story of Stoke-on-Trent's journey from a rich industrial past into a modern, contemporary city. Laurent-Perrier returns to the Show with a garden designed by Ulf Nordjfell and inspired by the Champagne region of France. Robert Myers will create a calm, private, reflective garden for Brewin Dolphin. With native planting, stone, timber and water, the garden will be an area for relaxation and informal entertainment.
