Halo Garden (above)
Halo is a Mediterranean-style garden based on the idea of a traditional Greek island. The garden has been created on a budget of £13,000. Typical Greek features include white boat sails, a blue halo as a modern interpretation of the traditional Greek Orthodox Church dome and Mediterranean planting, together with traditional paths and paving.
As a fan of traditional values the designer was keen to reinterpret the classic Greek landscape in this garden with a modern twist. The focal point is the halo, formed by a steel ring pergola with supports hidden within the hedging.
Garden of Solitude (below)
Garden of Solitude (above)
This is a sunken garden designed for relaxation and contemplation. With a budget of £15,000, the space includes a sheltered seating area, a reflective pool and a waterfall.
Sculpture, raised borders and trees offer privacy without creating too much shade. A soothing palette of white and pastel shades has been used and soft, ambient lighting filters through the recycled glass panels on the wall. Inspiration has been taken from the colour, translucency and shape of crystals and this is reflected throughout the garden.
Through the innovative use of up-cycled materials such as concrete and wood and the incorporation of nectar-rich planting, this garden not only provides a beautiful space in which to relax, but is also kind to the environment.
Bacchus Garden
(despite the presence of Lady Emma Hamilton, my least favourite of the larger gardens…)
Bacchus Garden (above)
This garden has been inspired by Bacchus (the Roman god of wine), subject of Titian’s painting Bacchus and Ariadne (1523), and by Hampton Court Palace’s Great Vine, which was planted in 1769 and is one of the largest grape vines in the world.
Exuberant blousy blooms fill the curvaceous wine glass-inspired space, providing a sense of abundance. Tiered overflowing pools represent a continuous flow of wine. Multi-stem trees grow in barrels and bottle ends peek out of rosé-coloured steps. Small Buxus cylinders, like overgrown corks, emerge from the flowers. The garden forms a secluded area that is perfect for relaxation or for entertaining guests during a summer evening soirée or wine tasting.
Al Fresco (below)
Al Fresco is a modern outdoor entertaining space and relaxing garden oasis, somewhere to unwind from the stresses of the day.
Attractive trees provide dappled shade over raised planting beds, which place leaves and flowers at eye level for those enjoying a meal at the table under the pergola. An architectural central pillar houses the warmth of a log burning stove and the beauty of a wall sculpture, and is the source for a waterfall feeding a small pool. A chic outdoor kitchen area surrounded by fresh herbs completes the picture and makes for perfect outdoor living.
A Hampton Garden (sponsored by Squires Garden Centre) (below)
This garden celebrates the 50th anniversary of Squire’s Garden Centre in Twickenham. Squire’s is a local family business, founded within a couple of miles of Hampton Court, so this garden reflects this locality. The size and scale resonate with gardens in the area, where there is often a need to fit all the desired elements into a relatively small space.
Water is used in two ways: falling from a wall to create sound and movement, and in a pond to encourage wildlife and allow water and marginal plants to grow. There is also an area for eating, entertaining and enjoying the garden. The planting blends trees, shrubs, perennials, roses and companion plants to maximise the sensory elements of scent, texture and colour.
The Teddington Gardener 