Exhibitors
Back-to-back Gardens
Guy Petheram Garden Design
The Function Room
Designer: Guy Petheram
Sponsors: Belton Garden Centre, Green Mile Trees
Contractor: Spruce Landscapes
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This garden demonstrates and celebrates the fact that gardens and the plants in them can be multifunctional. Many of the plants used have specific functions, including medicinal, sensory, culinary or for cutting to display. Some of the plants have more than one use, such as Melissa officinalis (lemon balm); its flowers are highly attractive to bees and beneficial insects, while its aromatic foliage can be used for herb tea or pot pourri.
The garden is set around a series of wall seats constructed from Welsh slate, and provides an intimate space for relaxing or socialising with friends. It is entered by crossing a series of oak cubes, which act as stepping stones through the planting and across a shallow pool. This slows your pace and creates a sense of transition.
The garden encourages wildlife through the use of nectar-rich plants, planted in close proximity to the seating area, helping to promote a sense of contact with the natural world and to enhance well-being.