GARDEN NOTES

This year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, taking place from 23-27 May, is inspirational – these are our highlights

A RICH HERITAGE

The Nurture Landscapes Garden by Sarah Price takes inspiration from British artist and plantsman Sir Cedric Morris (1889-1982) and the plants he collected for his 16th-century Suffolk home, Benton End. The low-carbon design reinterprets traditional techniques for modern use with locally sourced, sustainable materials. The plants will be arranged on the ground and in containers, with climbers framing breathtaking pictorial-like compositions.

PLOT TO PLATE

RHS gold medal favourite Mark Gregory returns with the Savills garden in the walled potager setting of a country hotel. At the heart of the design is a working kitchen and dining area, where imagined guests can enjoy meals made with the fresh vegetables and herbs. The style is formal with pleached trees and topiary elements, alongside more naturalistic areas with a wide selection of ornamental and edible plants.

JOURNEY OF HOPE

Refugee charity Choose Love presents its debut garden in collaboration with RHS gold medallist Jane Porter, supported by Project Giving Back. Choose Love supports displaced people globally and this garden, featuring plants connected to the Middle East and Europe, reflects themes of journeying and home with a design inspired by refugee migration routes. The wish is to bring a message of hope to all who see it.

WOODLAND WONDER

Tom Hoblyn has called on the best British artisans for The Boodles British Craft Garden, a glade-like space designed on the premise that craftsmanship is a refinement and stylisation of Mother Nature.

Cox London’s arbour mimics the surroundings, water sculptor Bamber Wallis has built a floating pool, while interior designer Rachel Chudley’s woodland-inspired furnishings adorn the space.