Behind the scenes at a Chelsea garden

Take a peek at a Chelsea Flower Show garden, and learn how to re-create it

Working with medal-winning garden designer, Tony Smith, Quilted Velvet's Chelsea Flower Show garden has been carefully designed to bring to life Quilted Velvet's message of a little bit of luxury you can feel good about.

 

The garden is based on a dream, taking the form of a long, arduous journey through the everyday world of work and domestic chores, eventually arriving at a place of comfort and luxury. The foreground invites the onlooker into a sunken bed of lavender Busy Lizzies, punctuated by rising stepping stones winding around to a central seating area filled with oversized quilty cushions which provide a haven of comfort. A raised area behind the protective purple slate walls creates a strong contrast and is densely planted with spiky yuccas, palms and cordylines, whilst the surrounding walls create varied perspectives in the garden.

 

Three cypress trees stand between the stepping stones in the garden, with just one tree appearing behind them, reflecting Quilted Velvet's commitment to ensure that three trees are replanted for every one it uses. 

 

The garden's designer, Tony Smith, comments: "The Chelsea Flower Show is such a prestigious event to be involved in and I am producing three show gardens for Quilted Velvet this year, which makes this project extra special. I have been given a lot of artistic freedom and by considering the individual character of each show and the unique attributes of Quilted Velvet, it has been possible to construct a narrative across the three gardens - which I hope comes through in the subtleties of the designs".

 

If you want to see it for yourself, The Quilted Velvet Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show will be at site number RHW31 on the Royal Hospital Way Main Avenue. Take a look at the Quilted Velvet garden here.

 

 

Bring Chelsea style to your own garden

Here's Tony Smith's instructions for achieving a similar look

 

You will need

4 Cordyline australis

5 Astelia chathamica Silver Spear

1 Yucca gloriosa

60 Impatiens Cupedo Pink

Compost or manure

Purple slate mulch

Spade, fork, rake, trowel, watering can

 

How to create the garden

Mark out and prepare the bed, digging to a spade's depth, removing perennial weeds and incorporating well rotted compost or manure. Thorough preparation will ensure rapid establishment and healthy growth.

 

Purchase the Yuccas, Cordylines and Astelias. Don't worry if you find large plants too expensive; smaller ones will be cheaper and as they are all quite fast growing they will soon look impressive.

 

Position the plants first to check how they look and then when you are happy with the arrangement plant them making sure they are no deeper than when in their pot. Many plants fail due to deep planting. One exception to this is the Cordyline which will be more stable if planted a little deeper

 

Now plant the Impatiens approximately 20cm apart. These will be cheaper if grown from seed or plugs. Plant out after all danger of frost has past. This will vary depending on where you garden. In any case, it's a good idea to have some fleece handy just in case you are a little optimistic about the affects of global warming.

 

Add the purple slate border and water well.

 

In milder sheltered gardens, Astelias and Cordylines are pretty hardy but in colder areas will benefit from some protection in severe weather.  Mulch well in autumn and wrap or cover with several layers of fleece.

 

Always remember less is more, so don't try to pack too many plants or types of plant into your scheme.

 

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