The gardens were mixed in with the trade displays a lot more this year. Whilst I can understand the thoughts behind this it made finding the gardens a little trickier. The day was extremely bright and the contrast levels have impacted on the photos.
Living Landscapes: Healing Urban Garden
This was garden we enjoyed the concept for, the idea is a small courtyard surrounded by houses. The houses being picked out in coloured metal work that would make a fantastic trellis in a different setting. We didn't take many pictures, i think we were just enjoying the garden!
Secret Garden Party
| Secret Garden Party |
| Secret Garden Party |
Slightly surprised to see this garden, we were looking for the National Rifle Association logo here. Ready...Aim...Flower! was an excuse to display a large gun with some pretext about flowers... or something. Sorry but the planting was mediocre and the shock value attempt with a large gun just seemed rather juvenile.
Ready...Aim...Flower!
Ready...Aim...Flower!
DialAFlight: Synaesthesia Garden - Average planting in a tent with coloured lights. Liked the hanging objects but otherwise it was a quick walk though and on with the show.
TSLGRUPPO: The Gallery of Mirrors - Opuntias in front of a mirror. I really was not inspired by this at all.
Africa Vision Garden
| Africa Vision Garden - Portholes into a mirrored box full of corn. |
| Africa Vision Garden |
"The SMART Vision Garden: Having the Vision to See Beyond Mental Illness" had a selection of tree ferns, cycads and Wollemi pines contained in a mirrored box. You had to look though viewing holes to see the garden - hence the view holes in the picture below. This has been done before - and also in the Africa Vision garden just this year at Hampton Court, but this is probably the best I have seen for this type of concept garden.
The SMART Vision Garden: Having the Vision to See Beyond Mental Illness
Another favorite for us was the he Macmillan Legacy Garden by Ann-Marie Powell, with a pleasant informal feel, and a lovely design for both the hard and soft landscaping.
| The Macmillan Legacy Garden by Ann-Marie Powell |
The Macmillan Legacy Garden by Ann-Marie Powell
World Vision Garden
World Vision Garden
Scotty's little soldiers garden
Normandy Impressionist Garden
Noble Caledonia brings the Spirit of the Aegean to the World Gardens,
Great Gardens of the USA: The Charleston Garden
Probably our favorite garden was the Turkish Garden, which was a real delight, and captured the feeling of mystery and romance one associates with Arabian gardens, the attention to detail was fantastic.We could imagine this one working well as a private garden, a great place to escape to in the evening after work.
All in all an interesting mix of gardens, but for us the general standard and interest was less than in previous years. However there were a couple of stand out gardens that we did love.
Gaz :)