Colours add a splash of Caribbean sunshine

JaCquie FeLixMiTCHeLL is a garden designer based in Buckfastleigh in devon. She has appeared on Gardeners’ question Time and gives talks on garden design. Jacquie says: I’M VERY excited about the possibilities of an autumn Chelsea Flower Show. My garden absolutely sings in September. It is overflowing with plants, it’s usually lovely weather and the light at that time of year is beautiful. I also think it’s a great opportunity for growers to showcase their autumn plants. My planting style is very much influenced by my Caribbean heritage. My mother was from Jamaica and my stepfather from Dominica. I love height and drama in the garden, and I want excitement and a strong structure all year round. For my Chelsea garden I’ve designed two long, arching borders, backed by a low granite wall, which are mirror images of each other. The strong architectural lines come from the Chusan palm Trachycarpus fortunei, and the sword-like leaves of the New Zealand flax Phormium tenax. The star plants are the white Japanese anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’, which looks so ethereal at dusk in autumn, the brilliant blues of salvia and echinops, and yellow rudbeckia. Tall, willowy, purple Verbena bonariensis dances through the scheme. The borders are anchored by the evergreen Pittosporum ‘Tom Thumb’, which would look good all year round. The two statement pieces — the large oval table and benches, and the granite sculpture — would be beyond my budget for my own garden. But then at Chelsea you are allowed to be a bit extravagant!