Wealden Times | WT170 | April 2016 | Garden supplement inside

WT Garden Supplement
Louise Tomlin writer/designer and initiator of Jacksons
Show Gardens Design Competition
What key garden trends have you seen/ worked on
in recent months?
There has definitely been a resurgence of interest in ‘grow
you own’ or GYO, over the last couple of years. This is not
surprising given the benefits associated with growing your
own fruit and vegetables, to name a few: cost, freshness,
improved flavour and the pleasure of knowing the provenance
of what you are eating.
One of the ways we know GYO is gaining in popularity
is the upturn in interest for our raised beds, which are more
often than not something used for growing fruit and veggies.
They are perfect for creating the right growing conditions,
if drainage is poor, or if the type of soil in your garden isn’t
suitable i.e. too lime or acid, you can choose which soil or
compost to fill the raised bed with to suit the crops you want
to grow. Raised beds are also great for plants that require their
roots to grow deeper, many types of veg fall into this category.
What garden feature or style do you predict will be
popular this year?
Many raised beds have been used imaginatively in customised
garden designs. The beauty of using them like this, is you
can create areas of interest and different levels, which can
even include water features, or Alpine gardens, like the one
in the photo above, by a clever customer who used Jakwall
landscaping timbers to make raised bed structures. The end
result is very impressive. Screening off areas of the garden to
create separate outdoor rooms, for dining or other activities
is also a growing trend. By installing just a couple of stylish
trellises or semi-solid panels like Venetian, you can create a
different feel to an area and a little more privacy. You can also
combine a raised bed with a single pergola to create instant
height in your garden. By using tensioned wires stretched
between the pergola uprights, planting underneath in the
raised bed can be trained to grow up the wires and, once the
climbers are established and filling out, you have enhanced
privacy in this part of the garden, or a ‘green screen’ that
looks great.
Jacksons Fencing, Stowting Common, Ashford, Kent
TN26 6BN, 0800 408 4754, www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk
Steve ClarkChilstone, general manager
What key garden trends have you seen or worked
on in recent months?
Classic architectural features have been popular recently. A
Chilstone Etruscan House was adapted and designed for
a private client in Herefordshire. They commissioned the
renowned Chelsea Flower Show designer Jo Thompson to
design a stunning garden next to the client’s swimming pool.
Our temple was used as an area of contemplation looking
over the planted garden area.
Yardley commissioned a Victorian garden for the Hampton
Court Flower show. Chilstone provided the balustrading
and planters. Even though there has been a swing towards
contemporary gardens, the public still want a garden with lots
of colour and fragrances. This garden achieves this with the
roses and lavender which also attract butterflies & bees.
A contemporary garden we worked on recently
demonstrates how architectural straight lines can provide
the perfect neutral back drop to reflect the colours from soft
planting. This style of garden is frequently used in smaller
urban gardens both in London and other major towns and
cities. The Chilstone blocks create windows through which
to view the garden and also seating areas to sit and relax and
soak up the fragrance.
What garden feature / style do you predict will be
popular this year?
We have already seen strong orders for fountains this year.
People want sound and movement in their gardens as
well as creating a focal point. This can be achieved in all
different sized gardens as we have fountains suitable for all
requirements both large and small. They can be self-contained
or three or four tiers falling into a pond.
Can anyone have this feature / an element of this
feature in their garden?
Yes so long as they have access to an electrical point they can
run a fountain. The smaller ones are simple to install but
the larger ones can be installed by one of our recommended
contractors
Chilstone, Victoria Park, Fordcombe Road, Tunbridge
Wells, Kent, TN30RD, 01892 740866, office@chilstone.com
www.chilstone.com
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