The London Group of the NCCPG Display for Chelsea Flower Show 2006

The main theme of our display will be to highlight the work of plant cultivation over the centuries and the importance of conserving our plant heritage. To illustrate this theme our display will celebrate the work of John Evelyn, one of the earliest writers in the field of gardening, on this the tercentenary of his death in 1706.

Our exhibit will present two gardens:

The first garden will be designed in the style of the seventeenth century, containing plants listed by John Evelyn in his books, ‘Elysium Britannicum ‘ and ‘Kalendarium’ and still in cultivation today.

The second garden will mirror the design of the first, but planted up with the best modern cultivars of the Evelyn plants.

We intend to use photographs, prints and pictures of Wotton Hall, John Evelyn’s home in Surrey as a backdrop to both gardens

The central area, between the two gardens will consist of display boards, outlining the work of John Evelyn and the development of plant cultivation over the three centuries. The work of the NCCPG will be presented, with reference to the importance of conserving our plant heritage through the National Collections

Maggie Campbell Culver, one of our members, is writing a book on the work of John Evelyn and we are using this as a reference and source for our exhibit. We will be displaying the book on the stand.