Acclaimed stylist Selina Lake shares her expert tips on bringing some show garden style into your own plot at home, with
HANNAH STEPHENSON
LIKE many garden experts, homes and gardens stylist Selina Lake (selinalake.co.uk), who had been due to help style a show garden for this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, has turned her attention to stay-at-home projects.
Ramping up floral themes to display seasonal flowers, perking up alfresco dining and complementing wild flower gardens with matching accessories is a good way to get the show garden look, she says.
“For me, making a garden beautiful and flower show ready is not only about the plants, hard landscaping and great design layouts. It’s the styling details that add the final touch of magic,” says Selina.
“In fact, even the dullest of gardens can be jazzed up super quickly with some easy styling ideas.”
Here, she offers seven suggestions on how to make your outside space a show garden showstopper...
CHOOSE A STYLE THEME
“BOTANICALS play a big role in my work, and my personal style at home and in the garden. Most spaces benefit from a soft, natural, colourful touch, which fresh cut flowers, lush house plants, or even a simple branch in a vase, can achieve effortlessly.
“The fun thing about a small space is it can be easily changed – great news if you’re like me and can’t fix on one look. Some of the key, classic trends and style themes that are good bases are: vintage, rustic, industrial, bohemian and recycled, as these styles can be intermixed and all work nicely with botanicals.
“If you fancy a botanical cocktail in summer, create a botanical bar on a flat surface such as a tabletop, bench or shelf and gather some fragrant herbs such as rosemary, lemon balm, mint and thyme, or whatever you grow, along with your favourite tipple – and it can look stylish.”
SOURCE PROPS
“WHEN it comes to sourcing decorative pieces, work with what you already have. Re-purpose bed sheets as tablecloths, old jugs as vases, or recycle glass bottles to use as bud vases.
“Borrow cushions and throws from your sofa to comfy up and add style to garden furniture, and dig out bunting normally reserved for parties to add a scene of occasion to your alfresco dining space.”
COLOUR UP WITH FLOWERS
“ANYTHING botanical is my go-to styling prop. Pick flowers
We’re all drinking botanicals... spritz up the bar with a few actual cuttings
STYLE YOUR DISPLAY
“OUTSIDE, I utilise decorative planters, jars, galvanised buckets and vintage wooden boxes. In the same way you decorate and style your home with homeware accessories, your garden will benefit from thoughtfully chosen accessories.
“Think about the little details that will add to the overall appeal. I’m talking about small vignettes such as hanging lanterns from tree branches, grouping small plant pots together, and tidying away anything out of place.
“You could utilise shelving or any flat surface to make a garden display. Gather items such as plants in terracotta pots, balls of string, plant labels and vases of freshly cut flowers, and arrange them until you
are happy with the overall look.”
PIMP YOUR SHED
“I ALWAYS have some sort of botanical theme in my shed, but recently I have added a few extra touches such as a botanical wall chart poster, vintage Chinese paper lanterns – which I bought from a vintage fair about 10 years ago – and glass bud vases filled with flowers picked from my garden.
“Revamp your shed firstly by giving it a sort-out to free up some space. Utilise shelving or a potting bench to arrange plant pots, stacks of flower books and