Chelsea 2006 by Brian Hawtin

For a garden industry currently obsessed with a lack of water in the ground it was deeply ironic that after conscientiously drilling a bore hole for water at the beginning of the setting up period, the 2006 Chelsea Flower Show was plagued by the type of rainfall that had been missing in the South East over the previous six months. However, the exhibitors and glitterati who turned out for the preview day this year were in an ebullient mood and savoured the horticultural feast with relish.

As ever the real stars of the show were not the celebrities who came to prod, sniff and admire, but the gardens and exhibits themselves. This year the show gardens in particular were modern, dynamic and full of talking points whilst the courtyard gardens in particular were fewer but no less adventurous than in previous years. Leading the way with the best in show award and a Gold Medal with the Daily Telegraph Garden was Tom Stuart-Smith. His sublime contemporary garden packed with his trademark perennial planting and detailed finish, this time with Corten steel and subtle movement of the water, was a lesson in colour, texture, perspective and atmosphere. Left: Daily Telegraph Garden by Tom Stuart-Smith

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Other standout gardens in this category were the Saga Insurance Garden by Cleve West, which in his characteristically quirky way redefined the herb garden with primitive forms and modern enclosures. The Savills Garden by Marcus Barnett and Philip Nixon was homage to Modernist designer Mies van der Rohe, with clean lines and precise planting. Fleming’s Nurseries Australian Garden presented by Trailfinders was a wonderful advert for Aussie outdoor living with a disparate collection of rooms and areas drawn together by excellent design detail. Andy Sturgeon produced another modernist classic for Cancer Research with a superbly observed garden pavilion and swimming pool. Sarah Eberle did Brad stone proud with a curvy oasis ( though the ‘shelter’ at the far end had too much of the ‘bus shelter’ for me) which was finely observed with good hard landscape detailing and appropriate planting, whilst Chris Beardshaw successfully re-created a portion of a Jekyll / Mawson garden from Boveridge House in Dorset. All the above won Gold Medals and showed that the show garden category is as strong as ever.

The smaller garden categories (Courtyard, Chic and City) were again high in inventiveness as those who can’t stretch financially to a show garden demonstrate to sponsors what potential they have for the future. The Chic garden category had two gold medals, one for the Japanese designer Kazuyuki Ishihara with Ao Arashi (The Blue Storm) who took Best Chic Garden with an excellent white and blue water garden and the other for Scenic Blue Ltd’s Anna’s Sanctuary in the Shade.

Kent designer Mandy Buckland was one of the design team who worked to bring the garden to reality. ‘It’s been 15 hour days and I’m feeling completely jet lagged,’ she said on the Monday, before the awards were made, ‘We’ve accomplished so much and all the stress has been worth it just to see it here.’ The garden was centred on a bespoken sun shade/rain collector that merged beautifully with the planting, particularly the sedum wall panels that framed the garden perfectly.

The best Courtyard garden was the Cyrus design plot called ‘A Garden for Robin’. Stunning detail and wonderful textural planting caught the eye of the judges for a gold medal and I had this one ticked on my list for a top award. Casper Gubb’s ‘Green Room’ took the best City garden with a lovely small glade surrounded with smooth timber seating and featuring a tree stump table.

After a race around the gardens it was time to wallow in colour, scent and texture in the huge Floral Marquee. The waft of roses met with the drifts of lavender and I took more photos than I thought possible in 5 hours. Exhibitors were happy to chat about their horticultural obsession (if the judges had been) or were heads down making their last minute adjustments in preparation for their arrival. All the exhibitors have gone way beyond just placing a few vases and pots around the stands and covering the ground with moss or mulch and are creating small fantasy worlds of blooms and fronds, carnivorous forests and living artworks of fruit. Bournemouth Borough Council gained the ‘Best-in-tent’ Presidents’ Award for a staggering display of fruit and flower that was topped off with a fabulous sand sculpture.

So, after a quick hand of ‘spot-the-celebrity’ poker (‘I’ll see you, your ITV Weather Girl and Christopher Biggins and raise you a Dame Judi Dench and a Lord Puttnam.’) we were on our way home with weary feet and heads full of inspiration.

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In the quiet few hours before the television crew  turns up I try to collect my thoughts, mentally making check lists of things I want to say and points which I think should be made in defence of my design.  I’m very protective of my work and showcasing it in front of millions of people can bring a host of opportunities, but only if it’s done correctly.

A convoy of cars arrives at the studio. The producer, complete with baseball cap and warm grin gets out and quickly briefs me on what angle they’re looking to get across to the viewers. The cameraman and sound engineer set up their gear, run through a few checks and then I drop a microphone lead down my shirt and hide the small black transmitter box in my back pocket. Everyone loves a bit of attention and for a few hours I’m at the centre of it.

The project started out as a promising feat of horticultural daring – to create a ‘world map’ within one acre, with each landmass filled with plants native to that part of the world. The grey paths of Cedec aggregate (wheelchair friendly and relatively cost effective) provided the ‘oceans’ around which people would travel our new world vision.

Such a big task however, had attracted the eye of an independent television company. I sensed the danger of a film company’s involvement having worked in the past with several other film companies in a previous job, but decided to put my concerns aside and judge them on what they did.

Our studio, a century-old barn in Eynsford, gave the crew a secondary location away, somewhere they could seek a ‘behind the scenes’ view of the design process. It also provided room for meetings with the two consultants.

As in so many areas of media, television is a ‘now process’. Tomorrow is too late. Although they were only in the studio for a few hours at a time, the preparation and disruption to business soon added up. It would be tempting just to say “no” but I remembered the golden rule of television and media – trust no one! All the while I played along, I had at least the opportunity to state our objectives in our own words.

As with any project where the client assumes they know more than the professionals they hire, the project soon took a worrying turn. Our main preferred contractor, a very experienced and knowledgeable chap called Hugh Goldsworthy, was turned down in favour of a cheaper alternative who hadn’t been involved in the preparation process; and at the eleventh hour.

The film crew smelled blood and rather than the story focussing on the garden’s development it soon became obvious they just wanted a ‘Big Brother does gardening’ format, with the emphasis on the characters’ disagreements, culminating with the dismissal of one of the consultants.

The interviews turned more intense as I insisted on maintaining professional standards both in the construction of the garden and its eventual planting. Concerns, I soon realised, I was alone in thinking. Concerns the camera crew were only too keen to highlight to their own advantage.

And therein lay the hidden problem – media focus on a project can provide a wealth of opportunities, but only if you forget about the cameras and keep an eye on the main objective.  It’s flattering to be at the centre of attention but keep your feet on the ground.

With the spring airing of ‘Save Lullingstone Castle’ on BBC2, I watched in amazement as the story of the garden’s creation unfolded – in a way far stretched from the actual course of events. Interviews had been spliced and re-edited to tell a different story from that which actually happened and my criticisms of the main contractor removed completely. 

Looking on the bright side, I remind myself that “no publicity is bad publicity”, but can’t help remembering the original vision of how the garden was going to be before the spotlights were turned on and collective star-struck eyes turned to face the lens.

 Top media tips

1)       Never sign the release form until you have seen at least some of the rushes (Pre-broadcast version)

2)       Always remember you have no control over the final cut.

3)       You do have the right to refuse to be filmed – if you’re not confident in front of a camera, you can refuse.

4)       Remember the laws of libel and avoid making accusations about others’ involvement unless you have documentary proof.

5)       Be prepared for a lot of time-wasting but do make the most of the publicity. More often than not you will not be paid for your involvement so get the most out of it in terms of advertising.

The second series of “Save Lullingstone Castle” is due to be aired in spring 2007.

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Garden Profile by Judith Parkhurst

Les Jardin de L’Imaginaire

Designer: Kathryn Gustafson

Situation: Terrasson la Villedieu, Perigord, France.

Style:       Contemporary

 

The gardens hillside situation offers fantastic views over the valley. It gave the designer a wonderful backcloth for her symbolic and philosophical landscapes displayed in themed gardens. The gardens are well worth a visit whether or not you enjoy the philosophical jargon (the jargon is delivered in full by a guide, usually in French). A visit offers the garden and landscape designer a dose of stimulation and incorporates ideas (the ‘Ribbon Walk’ and ‘La Roseraie’) which are found in modern design books. The garden is divided into a series of terraces and levels with different views from different pathways and approaches to reveal gardens from above, through and inside; all with the backcloth of the valley beyond.

 

Above: Views over ‘La Roseraie’ Water is used to link the gardens in rivers, cascades, fountain jets, canals and rills. The rill or canal above ‘the rosaire’ resembles a ha-ha as it edges the drop. If you are in this part of France I would recommend a visit but not a designated pilgrimage for it alone. A visit to the garden is with the traditional French guided tour and gives a limited opportunity to stop and linger. Visit the website for more information. www.ot-terrasson.com Right: the 'Ribbon Walk'