Email to a friend | Read later | Your comments
Wednesday, 18th July 2007

New suburban landscapes

GOOD TASTE: Jacqui Brocklehurst
GOOD TASTE: Jacqui Brocklehurst
IN a show that attracts garden designers and exhibitors from across the country, organisers of the RHS Flower Show , have been surprised to find more than 10 per cent of this week’s competitors are from Sale.

The rise of serious gardeners in urban areas demonstrates an increasing interest for home owners to make the best use of their outdoor space. Robert Frie teaches of garden design at South Trafford college and is one of the year’s exhibitors from Sale.

“The name, Sale means willow in Anglo Saxon times and before that it was agricultural land, so maybe the interest in gardening comes from that history,” he muses.

Advertisement your story continues below

“When I studied garden design nine years ago there weren’t as many people doing it. I see a lot more people coming through the college now and going on to further gardening courses. Gardening TV programmes have got a lot more people interested and it’s associated with a good lifestyle – it’s an aspirational thing.”

Inspirational

In line with his view, Robert’s Brewin Dolphin Garden, is suitably aspirational. It is an ornamental garden, which conveys a ‘place in the sun’ complete with and the suggestion of a swimming pool.

The ornamental planting includes single stem red leaved Acers and dome shaped Hebes.

“In the past, people always thought that they had to have a lawn as a birth right,” he adds. “People don’t need lawns, and with global warming it is probably a more environmentally friendly option not to because lawns need a lot of watering. I always say for design if you think of thirds – which could be lawn, border and water or could just as easily be deck, patio and something else.”

Other exhibitors from Sale include Kevin and Suzanne Dunne with their garden Suttons Seeds Fit For Families, which focuses on growing fruit and vegetables in a family garden that is still aims to portray the social pleasures and medicinal benefits associated with herbal tea.

Rough grass and dandelions create a path that leads into the garden and exotic fruit trees grown in tea chests are punctuated by the planting of colourful herbs, including lemon balm, peppermint, fennel and ginger, while citrus trees and other fragrant flowers, herbs and fruit present can all be infused in hot water to make tea.

The RHS Flower Show is at Tatton Park until Sunday. For tickets call 0870 8422229 or visit rhs.org.uk/flowershows.