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Young Garden Designers at RHS Tatton Park
RHS gives young garden designers the chance to kick start their careers and gain invaluable exposure at a prestigious RHS Show with its Young Designer Competition, now in its 11th year. This year, four young designers created gardens at the RHS Tatton Park Flower Show.
Practicality Brown like to support young designers, see blog post on Hampton Court for the garden we were involved with this year. At Tatton Park, we supplied our elegant Portuguese Laurel Practical Instant Hedge for a garden in the Young Designers category. Grown here at our nursery in Iver, we have taken great care with these instant hedging solutions to supply a premium quality product, as befits a Show Garden.
The Phytosanctuary Garden
Gold medal winner and Young Designer of the Year 2019
Our Practical Instant Hedge on Kristian Reay’s Phytosanctuary Garden
This beautiful garden was designed by Kristian Reay and is planted with a Mediterranean theme to raise awareness of Xylella fastidiosa disease that poses a threat to many of our much-loved plants.
At first glance, this garden is a beautiful and desirable space awash with ornamental grasses and a palette of fragrant perennials evocative of the Mediterranean. But look beyond its fragile beauty and a darker message is revealed – the growing threat of the deadly plant disease.
At the centre of the garden is a graceful Olea europaea, the olive tree that has been devastated by the disease throughout southern Europe.
Similarly, the Lavandula (lavender), and Prunus lusitanica hedge are also ‘at-risk’ species that have been severely affected by Xylella. We supplied the Practical Portuguese Laurel Instant Hedge, which in integral to this statement garden.
The art designed on the back wall depicts Xylella. The circle represents xylem, while Xylella can be seen inside. It shows how Xylella multiplies and restricts water flow within the xylem, threatening the plant.
Kristian was announced as the winner of the Young Designer of the year 2019 at the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park and will also take home an RHS Gold medal for his thoughtful design. Speaking ahead of the competition, Kristian said: “As a Young Designer I’m deeply concerned about the risk from plant diseases like Xylella to our gardens and landscapes, so I think this is a really important topic to discuss at the show.
“I’ve included at-risk garden favourites like lavender in the planting to highlight the impact the disease could have if these plants were to vanish.”
The role of gardeners and the scientific community in responding to the threat posed by Xylella is explored in a display describing the BRIGIT project and the Defra and Animal and Plant Health Agency’s Don’t Risk It! campaign.
Congratulations to Kristian, a Gold medal winner and now Best Young Designer!
Phytosanctuary Garden designed by Kristian Reay
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Practicality Brown at RHS Hampton Court
Every year, Practicality Brown have the pleasure of working with talented Garden Designers at the Royal Horticultural Society’s prestigious Garden Shows and this July we supplied six gardens at Hampton Court with 75m of our Instant Hedge as well as five semi-mature trees.
Five gardens used our Practical Native Mix Instant Hedge, which has plants that are all native to the UK, reflecting traditional country hedgerows and are therefore very wildlife friendly. Grown here at our nursery in Iver, we have taken great care with these instant hedging solutions to supply a premium quality product.
BBC Springwatch Garden (Feature Garden)
This special Feature Garden, designed by Jo Thompson, was inspired by Kate Bradbury’s wildlife garden for BBC Springwatch. British gardens cover an area bigger than all of the country’s nature reserves combined which is being represented in the BBC Springwatch Garden, as it shows three gardens belonging to different neighbours. Each with its own character and features to attract wildlife, working towards a common cause through gardening. Our Practical Native Mix Instant Hedge reinforces these wildlife benefits. Built by Bespoke Outdoor Spaces
Through Your Eyes (Show Garden)
Silver medal winner
This Show Garden, designed by Lawrence Roberts of Elements Garden Design, provided an immersive experience for the show visitor. The garden was overlooked by a large William Roobrouck sculpture that can be entered, allowing each person a moment alone to contemplate the garden and its message. Mental health, age, family and friendships are all addressed in the garden through the materials and the choice of planting. Our Native Mix formed the borders to this thoughtful garden. Built by Shrub and Stone.
The Naturecraft Garden (Lifestyle Garden)
Silver medal winner and Peoples’ Choice Award for Lifestyle & Global Impact Garden
Designed by Pollyanna Wilkinson, and inspired by botanical crafts, the garden explored how we can create beautiful objects from the plants that we grow. Crafts included natural dyes, herbal medicines, flower pressing and willow weaving. As well as their decorative value, the plants in this country garden all have a purpose, whether it be medicinal, edible or practical. Our Native Mix instant hedge created a framework for the garden’s features, which form a sanctuary where creativity can thrive. We also supplied the trees for this beautiful garden. Built by Burnham Landscaping.
The Urban Pollinator Garden (Lifestyle Garden)
Silver Gilt medal winner
The garden, designed by Caitlin McLaughlin, was a magnet for bees and other insects, fusing design, function and wildlife-friendly values. After a long day at work this garden is designed to offer a place for the owners to relax, connect with nature, and surround themselves with pollinators, without the pressure of keeping bees themselves. Our Native Mix Instant Hedge helped support a range of wildlife and promote biodiversity. Built by Conway Landscapes
This garden is now rehomed at Cransley Hospice in Kettering, Northamptonshire, for patients, visitors and staff to enjoy.
Stop and Pause Garden (Lifestyle Garden)
Gold medal winner Best Lifestyle & Global Impact Garden and Best Construction Award
Designed by Dave Green, this garden is a calm, still and quiet space offering mental wellbeing and meditation opportunities. Surrounded by trees, the space has a slightly secretive quality, hiding its sense of tranquillity within. At the centre, a reflection pool, surrounded by soft woodland planting, adds to the relaxed feeling. Seating areas create places to stop, pause and reflect while enjoying the sight, sounds and smells of nature. Our Native Mix Instant Hedge is integral to the design. Built by PC Landscapes.
The garden has been donated to Solihull Hospital Charity and will be reconstructed in the hospital grounds.
Outdoor Living Garden (Lifestyle Garden)
Silver Gilt medal winner
This garden is a nod to the growing trend of outdoor living and alfresco dining, designed with a young couple in mind. Designed by Robert Grimstead, its features an almost seamless terrace within the garden and an outdoor kitchen for an alfresco dining experience, providing the ability to cook and socialise with friends. A reflective gravel pool creates a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. UK grown Purple Beech Instant Hedge provides a framework to this stylish garden. Built by Lower Barn Farm
Inspired?
If you would like a garden inspired by RHS Flowers Shows please contact us on 01753 652022 or email to talk to our friendly Horticultural team.
See more about these gardens on the RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival web page
Award Winning
Congratulations to all the designers, builders and volunteers involved with these fabulous projects; see more on the BBC coverage of the RHS Hampton Court Garden festival on BBC iPlayer
Links
RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival – The Gardens
Hampton Court Flower Show 2018
The RHS created a new category at Hampton Court Flower Show 2018 this year;
Lifestyle Gardens: real gardens for real people
The featured gardens were designed to resonate with different lifestyles and reflect the owner’s way of life and was perfect for visitors wanting ideas to take away for their garden at home.
The RHS, as part of their commitment to inspiring new talent and encouraging more young people to pursue a career in horticulture, invited four up-and-coming female designers from the next generation for their take on garden design.
Practicality Brown proudly supplied Practical Instant Hedge to three of the four gardens in the Lifestyle Garden category at the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show 2018.
The Family Garden designed by Lilly Gomm
Silver Gilt medal winner
Gardener, designs seen at Tatton Park. First time at Hampton
Family Garden at Hampton Court
The Family Garden: A garden to inspire young environmentalists
A relaxing space where insects thrive and children are immersed in nature. Intended for an environmentally-conscious family, the garden is a learning environment inspired by the enchanting and lasting impression a garden can have on children through play and discovery, instilling an awareness of our collective responsibility towards our natural surroundings. The garden is relaxed and unmanicured. Fruit trees and a shaggy lawn are surrounded by soft, informal planting, creating habitats for insects and other wildlife.
We supplied Practical Instant Native Mix Hedge
The Health and Wellbeing Garden designed by Alexandra Noble
Silver medal winner and People’s Choice Best Lifestyle/Conceptual/Changing World Garden
Winner of The One Show Garden Design Challenge, second year at Hampton
Health & Wellbeing Garden at Hampton Court
The Health and Well-being Garden: A new look at medicinal plants.
This garden’s scheme was to create “naturalistic, floaty, dreamlike” experience with masses of fragrance around a clever continuous path that takes its inspiration from both abstract art and meditative process. The aim of the garden is to slow one’s pace and mind and encourage a sense of being in the moment.
We supplied Practical Instant Griselinia Hedge
The Entertaining Garden designed by Anca Panait
Silver medal winner
Landscape architect and illustrator, first time at Hampton
Entertaining Garden at Hampton Court Flower Show
The Entertaining Garden: Gin and botanicals
The garden celebrated gin, the nation’s most fashionable alcoholic drink, and its botanicals. Designed as an entertaining space for parties, it’s perfect for mingling with friends and exploring new botanical associations. Immersed within the
planting, visitors are indulged with both the taste and aroma of the plants
We supplied Practical Instant Native Mix Hedge
We supplied elegant taxus hedge elements for Paul Richardson’s Steel Sculptures trade exhibition,
Steel Sculptures
which was awarded 5 Stars by the RHS
During June, we were also involved with two other award-winning gardens – see blog for details.
If you would like a garden inspired by Flower Shows please contact us on 01753 652022 to talk to our friendly Horticultural team.
Flower Shows 2018 focusing on Instant Hedges
June
Congratulations to everyone at the June Flower Shows, Practicality Brown proudly supplied instant hedges to:
- The Brewin Dolphin Installation designed by Paul Hervey-Brookes won People’s Choice at RHS Chatsworth Flower Show
- Inspiration in the Raw designed by Peter Cowell awarded Gold Medal at BBC Gardeners’ World Live
The Brewin Dolphin Installation
Inspired by a past landscape of the Chatsworth Estate, this conceptual garden echoes a ‘lost’ village that once stood in the shadow of Chatsworth House before being removed to make way for Capability Brown’s famous landscape. The planting references the indigenous landscape combining native plants with decorative varieties introduced in later years.
Sponsored by Brewin Dolphin, this garden affirmation from the public with The People’s Award for Installation at RHS Chatsworth Flower Show. We supplied Elveden Instant Beech Hedge for this garden.
Inspiration in the Raw
The garden focuses on using natural materials to create a more peaceful area to live in the garden. With an emphasis on recycling and reusing materials, this garden caters for a family, the garden is divided into sections by sliding barn doors. At the rear of the garden there is a dedicated play area with rope swing and playhouse, meanwhile, parents can entertain in the free-form concrete seating and dining area or relax in a quiet corner.
This garden was awarded a Gold Medal by the judges at the BBC Gardeners’ World Live. We supplied Practical Instant Native Mix Hedge for this garden.
July
At RHS Hampton Court, we are supported three out of the four Lifestyle Gardens, as well as a trade exhibit.
- The Entertaining Garden designed by Anca Panait
- The Family Garden designed by Lilly Gomm
- The Health and Wellbeing Garden designed by Alexandra Noble
And Paul Richardson’s Garden Steel Sculptures – see blog here for more details
If you would like a garden inspired by Flower Shows please contact us on 01753 652022 to talk to our friendly Horticultural team.
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2017 preview
Practicality Brown are proud to be supporting garden designers for Show and Artisan Gardens at RHS Chelsea 2017 this May by supplying top quality large hedging plants.
Show Garden: The Welcome to Yorkshire Garden
Welcome to Yorkshire
Designed by Tracy Foster | Built by Landform Consultants
This Welcome to Yorkshire garden is inspired by the Yorkshire coast, the drama of the county’s many historic buildings and Yorkshire’s special relationship with its agricultural heritage. The garden will feature a ruined abbey, chalk cliffs, a beach and the sea, with gently rolling waves lapping the shore. The inclusion of a trompe l’oeil painting within the ruin links this coastal paradise to the farmland beyond. The planting has a wild feeling with plenty of colourful wildflowers, grasses and native trees.
With seven RHS medals to her name including four gold, Tracy Foster has also won Best in Show, People’s Choice and Best in Category at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.
Tracy is keeping her facebook up to date during the Chelsea 2017 building phase.
Artisan Garden: The World Horse Welfare Garden
World Horse Welfare
Designed by Adam Woolcott and Jonathan Smith | Built by Conway Landscapes
The garden has been designed to celebrate 90-years for World Horse Welfare charity and aims to highlight the plight of abandoned, neglected and abused horses in the UK and abroad. The garden is a traditional wildflower garden that will tell the story of one of these ‘invisible’ horses. A derelict stable in one corner will be surrounded by plants harmful to horses, which open up into an open, bright and secure meadow, with horse friendly plants. It will feature a life-sized sculpture of a horse made from reclaimed horseshoes by Tom Hill.
Woolcott Smith have won three Gold medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and two BBC/RHS People’s Award for Best Small Garden in Show as well as Best Courtyard Garden in Show.
Adam and Jon had kept a diary of their work during the process for Chelsea 2017.
The designers have been working hard in the preceding months, sourcing materials and plants for their gardens, ensuring their vision comes to fruition at the world’s most prestigious flower show. The show opens on Tuesday 23 May 2017.
Garden Hedges
Hedges are aesthetically pleasing and add character to a property, whether they are an integral part of the design, or form a boundary fence. We have a number of mature hedge options across a range species, both evergreen and deciduous, including the popular Native Mix.
A good hedge has many benefits in addition to being a garden boundary:
Native mix hedge in private garden
- It provide a good shelter; reducing wind strength better than a solid fence
- It acts as a filter; absorbing dust and noise
- It offers privacy; as an effective visual screen
- It offers a level of security; a prickly hedge is a great deterrent
- It has natural beauty and interest with seasonal changes
- It provides background texture and colour to complement other plants
- Wildlife can benefit from its food and shelter for insects, birds and mammals
- It is long-lived; many hedges can last hundreds of years
Native Mix Instant Hedges
Native mix hedging contains plants that are all native to the UK and as such emulate traditional country hedgerows found throughout Britain. Our Native Mix would usually contain a combination of Hazel, Blackthorn, Hornbeam, Dogwood and Hawthorn, all of which are indigenous species.
Close up of leaves in Native mix hedge
Native Mix hedges creates a natural look and contain a variety of colours and textures which provide a rich living collage for excellent seasonal interest from the early spring blossoms to fruits and berries in the autumn. All kinds of wildlife will be attracted by the food and shelter opportunities.
Native hedging, by its very nature will thrive on most soil types and can be planted in all but the deepest of shade. It will tend to grow quite quickly at some 20 – 40 cm per year and will require pruning once a year, ideally in July; it can be left un-pruned, when it will prove even more wildlife friendly.
Practicality Brown have a full page editorial feature in the January 2017 edition of industry publication, Pro Landscaper in their Nursery Factfile section.
Pro Landscaper January 2017
Our top five bestselling plants
- Prunus laurocerasus Novita semi mature trees
- Carpinus betulus pleached tree (great for screening)
- Betula jacquemontii semi mature trees
- Practicality Brown Instant Native Hedge
- Elveden Instant Hedge Green Beech
Pro Landscaper also sourced some testimonials from top Garden designers to accompany the feature with thanks to
We used an instant hedge from Practicality Brown for our RHS Hampton Court garden this year. I had struggled to find what I was looking for with other suppliers and Practicality Brown was extremely helpful and accommodating. It found what I wanted and sent me photos prior to delivery as I was not able to visit to hand pick them. I have specified its hedging on other projects which has always been good quality.
I have loved working with Practicality Brown over the years because I know it offers sturdy field grown stock, including the lovely mixed native hedging that I recently ordered for RHS Chelsea. The other great thing about ordering is the service, which is always friendly and helpful. Its cliché but really nothing is too much trouble.
I have had the pleasure of working with Practicality Brown on major projects and show gardens over the years. It has helped enormously in our attaining of three Gold medals at RHS shows including Chelsea and Hampton Court, which is a testament to its staff, products and company
and Lisa Cox
I worked with Practicality Brown on a domestic project where we needed to screen off a house. We wanted a solution that would do the job from day one and chose Elveden beech instant hedging. This was more subtle than a wall or fence and looked amazing from day one – you wouldn’t have known it had just been planted
First planted in 1998, Practicality Brown is the sole supplier of the award-winning Elveden Instant Hedge, which is a truly mature, dense hedging product.
The Elveden Instant Hedge difference:
- Grown from British origin stock (seed or cutting) not just UK provenance (which can be where plants have been growing in the last six months)
- Allowed to grow and mature over time at the Elveden Estate in East Anglia
- The roots are grown in a membrane which helps to eliminate transplant shock; thereby allowing planting of this substantial mature hedge to be carried out all year round
- It is fed, watered and regularly clipped to ensure that it is an effective, robust and dense hedge around 2ft deep
- For example the Green Beech available to plant now at 1.8m high was planted during 2008/9 season, some 7 or 8 years of diligent care and attention whilst the same height Laurel is 4-5 years old.
- Available in 2.5m length strips which ensure continuity of plants, as they are replanted in the same order as they are lifted from the ground.
Time and again this proper instant hedge provides landscape architects and garden designers with the essential element to emphasize, enhance or enclose their design. We have stock available in heights from 1.2m, 1.5m and 1.8m across a range of species, all of which are 400-500mm deep.
Elveden Instant Hedge is a premium product and still is the best in class in terms of the size, density and quality; it is perfect for high end projects and where clients or circumstances demand a superior finish.
News
Screening Trees and Instant Hedges in Stock and Available Now23 April 2024 - 11:17 am
Instant Hedge In Focus: Native Mix26 March 2024 - 4:35 pm
Available Now – Screening Trees29 February 2024 - 12:20 pm
Best Trees for Spring Blossom1 February 2024 - 10:01 am
Instant Hedge In Focus: Hedges for Small Gardens29 November 2023 - 12:01 pm
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