Embroidered minds and pretty tiles

This was one of the first Artisan gardens that I saw at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show and while it was stunning, and set the tone for the day, my overriding thought then and at the time was, how is she going to sit there for so long. Although on the plus side, at least she’s got a job where she can sit and read all day, but then again it was warm, and that dressed didn’t look the coolest.

I know that’s not what this garden is about, but that’s where my practical mind went. With that sorted, I could address the garden and its purpose, which was to raise the awareness of Epilepsy. And the more I saw, the more I learnt.

Leslie Forbes' novel Embroidered Minds of the Morris Women

The garden is a collaboration between the arts and science to explore the effects of epilepsy, a neurological disorder that affected the eldest daughter of William Morris, and to raise awareness of how it remains a challenge today.

Now you can see where the tiles fit in can’t you?

This artisan garden at RHS Chelsea raises awareness of epilepsy

The garden divides into three planting spaces representing the mind before, during and after an epileptic seizure, which each area having a different texture and atmosphere.

planting in the embroidered minds epilepsy garden

The teasels are one of the plants that represent the seizure, but even so it’s been a while since I’ve seen these in a garden. A family friend used to have a large bush in her garden in Carlisle and she would pick them, and dry them and decorate them as hedgehogs, and they really were quite cute. I’m sure, if I remember rightly, that clothes and spectacles were made for them too.

towering teasels at the chelsea flower show
planting in the embroidered minds epilepsy garden

There’s two key plants in this garden too - valerian and artemisia, both calming to look at, because they’re used in the treatment of epilepsy. They’re in the pre-seizure area of the garden which is dominated by white flowers, whereas the post-seizure planting above, is full of colour and indicates the heightening of the senses which can follow.

It is a fascinating garden on many levels, but it’s also one I’d be happy to sit in with a good book too - what about you?

PoCoLo

Apple and pear sculptures

Not stone roses, but slate apples and pears. And giant ones at that. But totally stunning.

james parker's sculptures at Chelsea were certainly eye catching

I saw these at Chelsea and had to restrict myself to admiring their form and taking pictures for an emotional distance. The sculptures are by James Parker, who on his website says he enjoys taking unrefined materials like slate and creating something that captures the imagination of the viewer. These certainly captured mine, and not just for the largest fruit bowl ever.

Large but beautifully created
Apple or pear - which do you prefer

I think the squirrels in our garden might be quite confused by them too, although they probably have the same level of ripeness. Even though this appears to have been our best year for pears for quite a while, we’re not holding out much hope for actually eating any. The squirrels have had a few bites, and I’m sure the birds have had a peck or two. There are some that remain untouched, but I think even cooking them so they soften would be a challenge.

Maybe it’s just an ornamental pear, but on the other hand they’re nowhere near as ornamental as these.

A Very English Garden

We're popping back to this year's Chelsea Flower Show for today's post to take a look at another of the artisan gardens, sponsored by The Claims Guys and simply titled A Very English Garden, as as the board said it was "designed to stand the test of time" and to be "simply a beautiful garden" and I think it manages that.

The detail in the stonework entrance, and the overall impression is stunning. It's reminiscent of a grand English country garden and hard to believe that this was only constructed for the show.  It also tricks you into believing it's a much larger space than it is, and just the entrance to a much grander garden.

A simply beautiful garden at the chelsea flower show 2018

The garden celebrates craftmanship and tradition and draws its inspiration from the Arts and Crafts movement, and it does remind me of our first visit to Coleton Fishacre in Devon back in 2013, and my blog post is an old one and one that I moved over from my previous site, so the photos are tiny.

I think this garden works, not only because it's pretty, but also because of its symmetry.

An artisan garden at Chelsea reminiscent of the arts and crafts movement

The planting was, as you'd expect from a garden at Chelsea, fantastic and full of pinks and purples and something that is easily replicated in our own gardens.  I think that's one of the best things of the show, the planting is often attainable, but attractive too.

Looking down at the planting

There's roses and columbines - or granny's bonnets - and while the latter can be treated as weeds in my garden, they're still pretty and allowed until they take over!

A rose by any other name in a very english garden at RHS chelsea
Pinks and purples of the planting against the green and the cool stone arch

I think the garden set out what it intended, and is a simply beautiful garden.  I'm not the only one to think so as the garden was awarded silver-gilt by the judges and voted the best artisan garden in the people's choice vote, what do you think?