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Courtyard gardens
Sue Bradbury & Catherine Jago
The Kinnaird Garden: A Highland Retreat
Designers: Sue Bradbury and Catherine Jago
Sponsors: Kinnaird, Caithness Stone Industries, Atholl Estates, Chedworth Horticultural Society and George Goldsmith
Contractor: Breathing Space
This garden has been inspired by the Scottish Highlands. The garden designers share a passion for Scotland and wanted to bring part of the Highlands to Chelsea. They hope that A Highland Retreat will encourage gardeners to visit the Scottish Highlands. This garden also celebrates the 40th anniversary of the creation by Ian Hamilton Finlay of his superb garden Little Sparta, which nestles in the Pentland hills.
In A Highland Retreat a stepping stone path, in soft heather hues and engraved with reminders of wonderful Scottish rivers, takes the visitor to a stone bothey, which is topped with native plants. Planting is bold and formal in blues, purples and pinks, with lush Scottish roses. Around a silver birch tree there is a natural curved wooden bench. A trickle of water tumbles out of a carved stone, through bayberries and other native plants, and culminates in a boggy area. Placed around the garden are large engraved keystones, which provide additional seating or a table.
Many of the Scottish highland plants, like native moorland plants, are rarely seen in gardens south of the border. The garden features a laid tayberry and raspberry hedge to highlight the possibilities to grow soft fruit in a small courtyard setting.
Both Sue and Catherine are keen amateur gardeners who learnt gardening and garden design through experience, reading and visiting gardens. Catherine has exhibited twice at Chelsea and been awarded Gold and Bronze RHS Medals. It is Susan’s first time at the show.