Exhibitors
SHOW GARDENS | WATER GARDENS | SMALL GARDENS | CONCEPTUAL GARDENS
INSPIRING SPACES | WINDOWBOXES & HANGING BASKETS
PLANTS | GROWING & SHOWING MARQUEE | MARKET PLACE
Show gardens
Second Nature
Child’s Play
Designers: Chris Gutteridge and Antony Cox
Sponsor: The Studio & privategp.com in association with Rolawn
Contractor: Second Nature
Click on the image to view a hi-res version
This garden was originally created as a module for university, where the initial concept was to create an Ikea ‘flat pack’ garden. The designers were inspired by what Jamie Oliver had done with children and school dinners and the garden design progressed to a theme based around children, harnessing an essence of fun - a step away from the more ‘grown-up’ gardens often seen at garden shows.
The garden is predominantly 'green, green and green' with occasional splashes of vivid colour in both the hard and soft landscaping. It appears to be almost alive through the movement and sounds of the planting and the stream, which should attract wildlife and children alike. It is bold, colourful, free, mysterious, exciting and fun.
The planting is naturalistic and organic. Different foliage types create informal architecture and a range of green hues across the colour scheme. It is punctuated with splashes of seasonal colour. A kitchen garden is incorporated into the perennial borders, creating an interactive space which is both edible and educational. Key plants are grasses, Buxus microphylla for structure and Lavandula stoechas for scent. The patio is made purely from rubber, which is a natural renewable resource. The use of a mainly perennial plants creates microclimates for wildlife, and companion planting in the vegetable patch creates an environment supporting the natural predators of pests.
This is the first time Chris Gutteridge and Antony Cox have exhibited at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.