Exhibitors
SHOW GARDENS
| COURTYARD
GARDENS | CHIC
GARDENS | CITY
GARDENS
PLANTS | FLORAL
ART | LIFELONG
LEARNING | MARKET
PLACE
Show gardens
Homes & Gardens Architecture & Garden Design
The Rockwool Garden Room
Designer:
Barry Mayled
Sponsor: Sanofi Avensis, Rockwool & others
Contractor: Gwyn G Jones & Sons
Click here to view a panorama of this garden.
Click on the image to view a hi-res version
This garden aims to show how the inside of a house can relate to a garden via a 'garden room'. A house façade is situated at one edge of this garden and translucent panels allow visitors to view the garden looking through the garden room, which is an energy-efficient alternative to a conservatory.
The three main elements of The Rockwool Garden Room are a contemporary garden, typical of a size found in many suburbs, the wall of a house and the garden room attached to it. All structures, including boundaries, are in white to provide a neutral backdrop to enhance the carpet of planting.
The paving is also neutral - cream limestone - as is the garden furniture, to avoid detracting from the delicate colours of blue, mauve, grey, green and peach in the planting plan. The symmetry of the garden provides a subtle contrast to the asymmetry of the garden room.
Central to the garden is a circular pool with an inverted bowl spout. Around the pool is a rope pathway and at the rear is a modern seat in cast polished white stone, allowing a view back to the house.
The subtle planting, decoration and hard landscaping reflect the sophisticated colour theme which begins inside the garden room and flows through the garden to a slightly elevated rear boundary of white, multi-stemmed Betula pendula (silver birch) set against a backdrop of dark green cherry laurel. A low, retaining wall of shining black anthracite, contrasts well with the gentle planting colours surrounding and also acts as a reminder of our dwindling reserves of fossil fuels.
To the side of the terrace is an external dining and cooking area, shaded from the weather by the roof overhangs. The planting is structured in shades of blue, mauve, white and peach.