Across the Board at Gardeners' World Live

It's been a little while since I shared a post from our visit to Gardeners' World Live so what better to share today, than this garden designed and created by Conquest Creative Spaces.  It's one of those spaces that while it looked great, it also looked realistic and one I'd be happy to have.

There were a couple of elements that, apart from its 'realness' appealed to me, which were:

• Corten steel planters, looking at these again while writing this post, I'm thinking it's a good thing that my recent order for new pots has turned into such a debacle, but more on that another day,
• A chunky oak pergola that would provide some respite from this summer's heat, and protection from a more usual summer!

And that's even without mentioning the gabion design elements - I tell you, they really are the thing to have, you'll start to see them more and more in gardens, domestic and otherwise and they're no longer just for the sides of motorways.

I think one of the things that gives this garden its everyday feel is the meadow planting, which might at first glance be misconstrued for weeds, or it would it my garden anyway.  But it's nature, and natural, which is always my argument too.

It also shows that you can build a swing seat into a small space and do it stylishly so.  I think this swing is more likely aimed at the gentle movement, rather than the climb as high as you can that I remember from my youth - that was quite the challenge wasn't it?  I'm sure mums everywhere would peek through their hands just hoping momentum would keep us on the seats.

But yes, the Corten steel planters, aren't they just great?

Even MOH is a fan, and this is the man that likes things clean and pristine.  But their beauty really is their markings and age, and I can't help but sigh every time I think about how I could manoeuvre some into our garden.  I haven't worked out how yet, but I'm not prepared to give up just yet. 

I'm also a fan of planting between hard landscape and while that's more usually around paving slabs and bricks, this bolder and more modern take with what looks to be Mind your own business (the green plant) and what could be a fragrant herb - camomile? - shows how traditional ideas can be adapted and given a new lease of life.

Now wouldn't it be good to have a wooden box like this to shelter from either the sun, rain or chill in?  This one is complete with a fire pit and the log store seats look pretty and have a practical use too.  I'm definitely banking this idea for a future garden, it won't work in our garden of circles, but some day I'll have to find a garden that it will.

The other thing that makes this garden work for me is the mix of textures, not something you think of in gardens generally, and you'll remember that I've mentioned it for interiors on more than one occasion, so it sort of makes sense that a garden with textures also works, doesn't it? 

So, what do you think - is this a garden for you, or are there elements that have inspired you?

Floral trumpets

At Gardener's World Live I was keen to cover every pathway in the Floral Marquee and take as many pictures as I can, but let's just say MOH wasn't so keen on my ordered approach and on occasion headed off towards whatever caught his eye.  I've shared before here how he misnames plants, I'm sure on purpose, his favourite being busy lilies (not lizzies), and so I wasn't surprised when he asked me if these were those.  

They aren't busy lizzies at all, but they are a kind of lily - you might know them as Cala or Arum lilies.  Usually here in South London we spot the white varieties in front gardens and I always think they're such an elegant plant.  It turns out the white ones are hardier than the colourful relatives, and there's quite some colours to choose from.

The pink was so bright, that you couldn't help but be taken in by it - well a girl who's a bit partial to pink, couldn't be - and gazing at it again, I think it's the same pink as my garden trug, yes the one that had the herbs in.  The purple and cream variety was much more subtle, but not uniform at all and even now I'm checking out each of the flowers and their markings.

The real star of the show was these dark red, almost black flowers - aren't they stunning?

While I like the white, I think I'd be tempted by the darker variety.  We didn't leave with any though, the thought of carrying them back to London on the train didn't appeal, actually it was the part of the journey across London and out to Greenwich that didn't appeal, getting them back from Birmingham would no doubt have been easy!

I can see that driving to Gardener's World Live definitely has it appeal, but what do you think of these canna lilies?  

The Round Garden

This was one of the gardens I'd seen on Gardener's World before arriving in Birmingham, and as you might expect the circles appealed to me.  There was also a garden based on squares but somehow I missed that one, I'm not quite sure how. If I remember rightly there was a competition between the designers of the square and the round garden, and I'm pretty certain this one won.  Or if it didn't, it was definitely my favourite.  

But having my own garden full of circles that really didn't surprise you did it?

I love how the theme is repeated throughout the garden.  Since we added a raised bed of sleepers it has become my favourite place to sit and I think these benches would be relatively easy to replicate.  MOH thought so too as I caught him working out how to make these, perhaps for a future garden, who knows?  I'll not hold my breath though.

I also liked how the decking was flush with the stone circle, and how the lines matched up. I bet you didn't notice that did you?

Clever huh?

I was less keen on the statue or stacked circle ornament, but I understand that the area needed some height and this was an effective way of ensuring that stayed throughout the year.  I did like the corten steel finish though.

The planting was interesting too as it was mostly shrubs, but not boring shrubs at all. The variegated and coloured foliage made sure of that as well as the different shaped leaves. 

So what do you think, are you a fan of circles in the garden yet?