In addition to offering a fantastic overview of modern planting, the RHS Chelsea Garden Show offers a fascinating look into what plant selection and garden design will look like in the future. Naturally, our astute Garden Editor was there at Chelsea. Clare Foster is constantly keeping a close eye on planting, so what can we expect from her this year? “With woodland planting underneath, trees are a prominent feature in all of this year’s show gardens,” she explains. In this kind of planting, whites, creams, and greens are the predominant colors. The other colors are more recessive. As seen in Tom Stuart-Smith’s design for the National design Scheme, tapestries of leaf provide intrigue, while contrasting forms and textures provide drama.
Durability
It should come as no surprise that sustainability ranked first among thematic concerns. Rainwater collecting systems are a common element of gardens, particularly in the United Kingdom. A dramatic, flowing sculpture at Tom Massey and Je Ahn’s WaterAid Garden not only looks great, but it also has a practical function—it directs rainfall into subterranean tanks. In addition to providing shelter, the canopy effect increases biodiversity. In addition to taking home the gold for his design, Tom Massey earned the House & Garden Design Award 2024’s Responsible Design Award for Gardens, which was supported by Project Giving Back. For gardeners who are concerned about environmental preservation, Tom’s creative and elegant methods of blending sustainable solutions into his horticulture are definitely setting the standard.
The Flood Re: The Flood Resilient Garden, created by Naomi Slade and Dr. Ed Barsley, won the silver prize for Sanctuary Gardens. It draws attention to the risk of floods in the UK and uses dense vegetation to slow down water flow and collect it for later use. People may live on an elevated deck and mound connected by a bridge that spans a central swale, and the plants that need well-drained soil can grow in it. As a result, the design conveys a significant message about sustainability and offers a practical means of preserving the natural environment.
Design metaphors
A great illustration of how garden designers may utilize plants to visually represent a message or philosophy is the National Autistic Society Garden. The garden, created by Dido Milne and Sophie Parmenter, aims to depict the “everyday experience of the world” of an autistic person.” The stiff, corked outside walls each symbolize a kind of “masking,” an often painful coping mechanism adopted unconsciously by autistic persons to blend in with the outside world. The expressive, dynamic middle structure represents a person’s “true self.” It will be fascinating to see whether there is a greater take-up of the idea of using gardens to symbolize individual or systemic experiences.
Gut health and biodiversity
It’s no secret that the health of our guts and our microbiomes are major talking points in society; Tim Spector is primarily responsible for this.) The Bowel Research UK Microbiome Garden, created by Chris Hull and Sid Hill, capitalized on the current trend by examining the relationship between animal biodiversity, soil health, and human internal microbiomes. The two want to promote the “rewilding” of diets and gardens. Even really little gardens with tiny vegetable patches may do this. We wouldn’t be shocked if this became really popular this year.
Telling tales
Intentionally or not, outdoor areas such as gardens and balconies often promote communication. At this year’s event, gardens such as the Freedom from Torture Garden by John Warland & Emma O’Connell exemplified this goal, making it an especially well-liked incentive. The community bread oven in their backyard serves as a warm and secure area for survivors to gather, share tales, and unwind. With sitting places tucked within aromatic beds, Baz Grainger’s Kilik & Co. Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees Garden is similarly meant to encourage families to get together and talk throughout their whole lives.
fashion trends?
As Clare notes, this year was very popular for neutrals, which included plenty of foliage, shrubs, and white plants. Here, local trees, bushes, and plants provide a rich, green and white palette, seemingly reflecting the aesthetic’s drive for sustainability. These tones are best represented by the Prunus ‘Starlight,’ which won the Great Pavilion Plant of the Year award. Its glossy green leaves withstand winter, and its star-shaped white blossoms bloom far into April.
Clare also saw a lot of oranges, a color that has been widely used in interior design for a number of years and adds drama and warmth in a lovely and natural manner. Cytisus ‘Lena,’ a hybrid bloom, serves as an anchor plant in the Stroke Association’s Garden for Recovery, which was created by Miria Harris. The color combination is rusty orange and crimson. Ann-Marie Powell and the Blue Diamond Team’s Olivia Hill Garden, which focuses on lovely, pollinator-friendly flora, also includes tangerine tones.
