Meet the Small Garden Designers Chelsea 2007
Description
‘The Suber Garden’ (Chic Garden)
For the past two years Caroline and Louise have assisted Andy Sturgeon with the planting of his RHS Gold Medal winning show gardens at Chelsea 2005 and 2006. This experience has prompted them to submit their own design for a chic garden at Chelsea 2007.
Garden Path…Both the design duo are ‘career changers’ who left high flying jobs for Christies Auction House and European law firms to pursue a passion for garden design. As a child Louise lived in Brazil, Iraq and Portugal, where she developed an fascination for exotic plants. Louise worked for a Portuguese law firm and on returning to the UK she settled near Wisley in Surrey, so she was able to indulge and learn more about plants with weekly visits to the RHS garden. After designing a garden for herself in Dorset Caroline’s friend allowed her to cut her design teeth on a flat, dull Hampshire garden. This experience got her hooked and she enrolled on a garden design course, where she met Louise.
They now run a busy design practice working primarily in London and the South East.
What Chelsea means to Caroline and Louise… “The world famous Chelsea Flower Show is the ultimate showcase for a garden designer. Staging a garden – even a small one, is a challenge and an honour. The fact that we shall be putting ourselves on the line, and will be open to critical assessment by the RHS judges and the knowledgeable gardening public is both exciting and terrifying…”
Angus Thompson designing for the Children’s Society
‘Lust for Life’ (Chic Garden)
This is the first time that Angus has designed a garden at Chelsea.
Garden Path…Growing up in rural Yorkshire, Angus was allocated his own vegetable plot, planted his own apple tree and was given plenty of general gardening tasks. This imbued him with a life-long connection to the countryside, plants and growing things. Family holidays often involved driving through France and visiting gardens such as Versailles and Chantilly. During his previous career as a musician he began designing gardens for family and friends. In 2004 he studied at the Inchbald School of Design and after qualifying set up his own garden design business.
Angus’ thoughts on gardening trends… “Leading the way in positive solutions to combat climate change, wildlife attracting plants, vegetables…”
Sarah Price designing for QVC UK
‘The QVC ‘Bejewelled’ Garden (City Garden)
Garden path… Having worked under many top designers, including Cleve West, whom she assisted on the Gold medal winning SAGA Insurance Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2006, Sarah has begun winning awards in her own right. In 2006 she received a Gold Medal for her Conceptual Garden ‘Difference & Repetition’ at the RHS Hampton Court Flower show.
A Graduate of Oxford College of Garden Design, plus a First Class degree in Fine Art from Nottingham Trent University, Sarah has a masterful understanding of space, form, texture and colour, which she effortlessly incorporates in her designs. In 2003 she also earned an RHS General Certificate, which she studied for in conjunction with professional and practical training at Hampton Court Palace.
Sarah has her very own secret garden, a 3-acre Victorian walled garden in the beautiful and picturesque town of Abergavenny in Wales, that she inherited from her Grandmother. Price is currently restoring the garden, which was once a magnificent sight, to its former glory in between her many landscaping projects.
Patricia Thirion and Janet Honour designing for A Touch of France
‘Le Jardin de Vincent’ (Courtyard Garden)
This is the first RHS show that Patricia and Janet have designed for and they were thrilled to be accepted for Chelsea.
Garden Path…Patricia is French and grew up in a Parisian flat with a balcony so geraniums were her first plant experience! After moving to the UK to work as an au pair she liked the UK so much she decided to settle here. At the family home in Bushey her interest in gardening blossomed. After opening her garden for charity she decided to enrol at Capel Manor College to learn further.
Janet discovered gardening at an early age, helping her father at every opportunity, and regular visits to Kew developed her love of plants. Janet has been a volunteer gardener at Waddesdon Manor and last summer she contributed to the design and build of the Banrock Station Garden at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.
The pair met at Capel Manor College, where they became great friends. In the summer of 2006 they both completed a three year diploma course in garden design.
New plant trends – Patricia and Janet predict Iris ‘Mer du Sud’, a beautiful royal blue iris, will be a sought after drought resistant plant.
Tiggy Salt designing for Charities Aid Foundation (CAF)
‘The CAF Giving Garden – ‘Where the Wild Things Are’
Garden Path…Tiggy is a ‘career changer’ who originally specialised in Central Italian Renaissance Architecture. After graduating from the Courtauld Institute of Art Tiggy moved to Rome for a year where she kindled her interest in Italian gardens. Upon returning to England she worked in newspapers and publishing before moving to the Research department at the V&A. A move to the Visual Arts dept of the British Council, afforded Tiggy the opportunity of working at the British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.
At 28 Tiggy retrained, studying Garden Design at English Gardening School and completed the RHS General Certificate at Gunnersbury Park. Work placements followed at Villa La Pietra, Florence on the huge garden restoration project which was designed by Kim Wilkie. In 2003 she set up her small London based garden design company and currently lives between Notting Hill Gate and the Welsh borders with her little dog, Alfie.
Tiggy’s interest in vegetable gardens and passion for getting children involved in gardening has led to her often designing gardens with children in mind. She cites Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fernley Whitingstall and Sarah Raven as inspirations and the renewed interest in allotment gardening and supporting farmer’s markets rather than supermarket chains are uppermost in values. The whole idea of eating organically grown local produce in season has begun to be reflected in the garden designs which she is currently being commissioned to do.
Wayne Richards designing for Acorn Garden Design
‘Ad astra per aspera’ (To the stars through adversity) (Roof Garden)
Wayne’s first taste of an RHS flower show was the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in 2006. He entered the new conceptual gardens category and won an RHS Gold Medal and Best in Category. This success spurred Wayne on to enter a roof garden design at Chelsea.
Garden Path… Wayne is a ‘career changer’, he previously worked for British Airways, but after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 he decided to leave the aviation industry. Inspired by the likes of Diarmuid Gavin he retained as a garden designer and studied for RHS qualifications. He then set up his own business providing a mix of garden design and maintenance.
What Chelsea means to Wayne…”To use a sporting analogy, if Hampton Court is the Premiership then Chelsea is the Champions League. Just wish I had a Roman Abramovich to sponsor me!”
Adam Woolcott and Jonathan Smith designing for AW Gardening Services
‘The Old Gate’ (Courtyard Garden)
Last year Adam and Jonathan exhibited at Chelsea for the first time. They had been applying for the past three years and were given a place in 2006 when another garden had pulled out at the last minute. Despite only having 10 weeks to plan and prepare the garden it was a great success and they not only won an RHS Gold Medal but also the BBC People’s Award for best small garden.
Garden Path… The duo has been involved in horticulture for much of their lives. Adam’s passion for plants started in childhood, after school he worked in a garden centre and progressed to become garden centre manager of a DIY store. In 1987 he started his own business; this successful company offers garden design, maintenance and landscaping services and employs four people.
Jon was brought up on a farm in Kent, and after doing a degree at Surrey University he went on to gain a Masters Degree in crop rotation from Aberdeen University. Jon worked as an agronomist for a crop protection company and then as a DEFRA plant inspector. After meeting Adam they decided to combine their experience and expertise.
Thoughts on gardening trends…”More people are trying heritage varieties of fruit and vegetables and growing organically.”
