The Daily Telegraph gravel garden has won the coveted Best in Show award at this years Chelsea Flower Show confirming that this method of gardening provides style as well as low maintenance.
This contemporary gravel garden brings together flavours of the Southern Cape, the maquis shrubland of the Mediterranean, the chaparral of California and Mexico and the matorral of central Chile.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/chelseaflowershow/7763339/Chelsea-Flower-Show-2010-Andy-Sturgeons-place-in-the-sun.html
Andy Sturgeon, the designer, explains the background to his garden:
“I have recently done some gravel gardens in the real world, and it is a
rewarding way to grow plants. Clients especially like the low
maintenance, which comes from the high ratio of evergreen shrubs and the
fact that self-seeding is all part of the charm.”
Andy considers The Daily Telegraph garden a real garden, too.
“I certainly don’t think of it just as an exhibit for Chelsea Flower
Show, and reckon it could work in many parts of Britain without much
adjustment, either as a small garden or as part of a larger one.”
Gravel gardening in the UK is certainly proving more and more popular, being ideal for periods of drought and requiring little maintenance. For more ideas on gravel gardening visit the doyenne of this style of gardening – Beth Chatto .http://www.bethchatto.co.uk/gravel.html
For inspiration watch the Mediterranean videos on this blog or check out Mediterranean plants at:
http://www.myclimatechangegarden.com/blog/category/climate-change-gardening/plants/mediterranean
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