We had the greatest privelege this year to be asked again by James and Helen Basson of Scape Design to work as part of the planting team, on their M&G Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Working on a Chelsea Flower Show garden is physically exhausting with very long days, but also the most creative and rewarding time of the year, working alongside friends from all over the UK and the world.
Team Basson!
For 10 days we planted Mediterranean and Maltese natives within a rocky and quarried reclaimed landscape designed by James Basson. The planting was divided into zones such as maritime, steppe and woodland and we created an arid but species rich plantscape amongst quarried limestone blocks. We selected plants from the trolleys that looked as if they had grown around corners and aimed to group plants to create different habitats. Weaving them all into a unique design is always challenging as we create a naturalistic style, without a dominant rhythm or pattern emerging, something you can only feel in your heart and minds eye.
View of the garden with cliff planting at the boundary, garrigue to the left, with a large feature Pistacea, steppe and pavement planting by the pool
The pool with pavement planting
The stone blocks with steppe planting
James Basson won a gold medal, Best in Show and Best Construction for this garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year and we are very, very proud to have been part of the team.