Chelspiration
Show packed with top ideas
THEY say that when it comes to garden design your only limitation is your imagination.
But the Chelsea Flower Show proves this is just plain wrong.
The show’s gardens are packed with so many take-away ideas that even the most reluctant gardener will want to pick up a trowel and get digging.
This year’s show aims to put the joy back into gardening. And if you follow the trend for using bright orange flowers and foliage colour you will certainly have a garden with the power to make you feel happy.
Start now and create stylish summer borders with blooms in harmonising blends of hot, sunny colours.
The way to plant like a pro is to use fresh, new and exciting colour schemes to revive tired old borders.
This year the must-have plants are peonies, irises, alliums, foxgloves and lavender along with box hedging and woodland plants such as ferns.
There is also a renewed interest in wild grasses. To get the look, simply thread the wispy foliage of ornamental grasses with towering verbascums, foxtail lilies and foxgloves.
Peach colours, pinks and pastels are hot but if this feminine look does not appeal, add cool greens, white and pale blue to add boyish charm.
As “right plant, right place” is now the Chelsea mantra, check a plant’s growth habit and blooming times to avoid borders becoming chaotic.
Also, plant in odd numbers, arranging plants randomly to capture the naturalistic style of planting that was dominating at Chelsea.
Herbs look good, smell wonderful and will bring bees and other useful insects to the garden. And as Jekka McVicar showed in her Modern Apothecary garden, they also have the power to improve wellbeing.
She has inspired with her edible lawn made with sorrel, chicory and salad burnet, and pulled it off again with her sensual lavender walk.
In a quiet sunny corner you could easily recreate these ideas or simply surround a sitting area with lavender, rosemary and fennel’s soothing scents to help nourish the soul and make you feel relaxed or re-energised after a stressful day.