Interviews with the stars
Trevor Tooth, designer of the Lloyds TSB Garden
It’s not just the gardens that have a colourful persona; it’s rubbed off on some of the garden designers too. Trevor Tooth has designed a vibrant space on Main Avenue.
“I’m not looking to follow any trends, I’d rather be setting them,” he says. “I wanted to do something bold and exciting. I’ve worked very hard to ensure that it happened. It’s an exciting garden that was an adventurous, eclectic mix of plants. It has a funny perspective that is an expression of how I design: it’s very planty with good strong architecture that doesn’t overpower the plants.
"Plants are primary, that’s what a garden really is. There’s also some serious architecture. I’ve really expressed an artistic side with my Venus folly that was inspired by a Venus flytrap, it’s red and veined and throws a red reflection of light so that the papyrus turns red.
“There’s even a wind turbine – we’ve got to be energy saving so I’ve used one in the garden. It’s a gentle message, it doesn’t impose it just sits there and does it thing.
"I think the standard at Chelsea 2008 is extremely high, it’s a year of surprises for medals because the standard is so very high. I’m really happy with my garden and whatever medal it gets, it gets.
“I come to Chelsea because I got the bug four years ago. I do it to promote myself, to express new ideas without boundaries and to bring something new to the public that they can see and enjoy. I have a different style to what Chelsea is used to, I think Chelsea needs that.”
Interview by Jean Vernon