More about the Hampton Court Flower Show 2019
Tuesday, 9th July 2019
The Smart Meter Garden was sought after because it was a winner but it wasn’t my favourite. It was also named as:
The Thames Water Flourishing Future Garden
As our world changes, the need to take care of our most precious resource is greater than ever. Weather is increasingly unpredictable, with drier summers and wetter winters. In this garden, discover how small changes, such as drought-friendly planting and permeable paving, can have a real impact.
Visitors see how they can encourage biodiversity, reduce water use and prevent flooding in homes and community spaces.
The central rainfall pavilion shows the essential cycle of water that we all rely on to live and grow. A blooming flower meadow is a miniature version of Thames Water’s sprawling urban wetlands.
The garden contains three main planting areas: drought-tolerant with Eryngium giganteum and Agave americana; moisture-loving featuring Caltha palustris and Lythrum salicaria; and nectar-rich wildflowers with bug and bird boxes set among woodland trees to encourage wildlife.
The garden is also home to the Thames On Tap water bar, where visitors can get free refills of our world class water and help to protect the planet by reducing plastic bottle waste.
I preferred this garden:
The Urban Pollinator Garden fuses design, function and wildlife-friendly values. It focuses on plants that encourage pollinators, specifically bees, to thrive.
After a long day at work the owners can come here to relax, connect with nature and surround themselves with pollinators, without the pressure of keeping bees for themselves. Contemporary honeycomb shapes feature in the sculptural habitat wall, which runs along the hedge boundary and is packed with twigs and branches to encourage solitary bees. Hexagonal paving incorporates bee-printed tiles to identify entrances to underground bumblebee nests.
The naturalistic-looking planting features bee-friendly plants in a variety of colours that celebrate summertime.
After the festival, the garden is being rehomed at Cransley Hospice in Kettering, Northamptonshire, to benefit patients, visitors and staff.
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