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Show gardens
Saga Insurance
The Saga Insurance Garden
Designer:
Cleve West
Sponsor: Saga Insurance
Contractor: Henley Salt Landscapes
Click here to view a panorama of this garden.
Click here to view a video clip of the garden.
Click on the images to view a hi-res version
The Saga Insurance Garden celebrates the migration of plants around the world, in particular focussing on hardy and half-hardy herbs that can be grown in the UK and how they might be used in a contemporary space.
The
plants, many of which are supplied by Jekka McVicar, demonstrate the importance
of herbs, not just from an aesthetic point of view, but for their medicinal,
culinary and domestic use, which is increasingly playing a significant part
in our busy lives. This garden explores the natural use of these herbs together
with more familiar perennials to create a low maintenance garden.
Simple lines and generous proportions belie the garden’s quiet sense of drama and inspiration. A large concrete sculpture at the front of the garden is both striking and serene; it leads the eye along a path, through the herbs, to a quiet space at the back of the garden where a table and chairs offer relaxation. Here, seven sentinels of pollarded field maples create a sense of intimacy, security and permanence while three, sculpted, concrete vessels proffer quiet contemplation as they wait for rain.
If you like this garden, look out for Jekka’s Herb Farm at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show (4-9 July). Jekka McVicar has provided the herbs for the Saga garden and will be selling her plants at the show.