RHS Malvern Spring Festival

6 - 9 May 2027

BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Show Gardens 2018

Urban Oasis

Awards

  • Silver-gilt medal winner
  • People’s Choice Show Garden

Did you know...

Designed by:
Mark Draper
  • A black boardwalk zigzags across the space, cutting through the brightly coloured mix of plants - from purple-flowered alliums to dark cow parsley, glaucous Sesleria grass to the yellow new growth of euphorbia
  • The perimeter is made of both yew hedging and panels of black-stained timber, the textural contrast adds interest to the edges of the space
  • Planting is held together by the consistent use of colour, especially the deep-red flowerheads of Cirsium rivulare that are dotted throughout the space

About the Garden

This is a funky, modern looking space, with movement and pings of colour throughout, surrounded by a dark cladded wall and a yew hedge of the same height.

A zig-zag boardwalk, in the same dominant colour as the fencing, travels through the garden to a decked seating area, which is enclosed by a steel-framed pergola with a painted timber roof. In this space designed for sitting and relaxing, the decking appears to float over a reflective pool.

From this pool, a rill runs along and under the boardwalk to a second reflective pool. Here, a feature made up of steel sculptural panels contrasts with the neutral backdrop and picks up colours within the planting and pergola.

The dark background provides a stark contrast to the brilliant and vibrant colours of the soft, modern meadow-type planting. Four large Manchurian cherries (Prunus maackii), with their stunning golden-orange bark, provide shade and privacy.