Hampton Court Flower Show Gardens

The twenty-two Show Gardens at Hampton Court Flower Show had as much variety in their design quality as their theme. There were internationally-themed gardens, some inspired by water and others which focussed on calming the busy gardener. However, some gardens seemed to be designed primarily around the sponsor´s product, and the shameless commercialism unfortunately made them somewhat farcical.

Many of the Hampton Show Gardens, however, managed to strike the right balance between sponsor´s theme and garden quality. The fewer number of visitors on the day allowed us to experience the gardens more intimately - some were even interactive, their design allowing you to walk through the garden and appreciate it as you would if were your own.

I also found many of the Show Gardens at Hampton Court Flower Show to be practically inspiring in their design, including features which you could imagine incorporating into your own garden.

Winalot Dog-Friendly Show Garden

I'm not a great dog-lover, so I found it particularly surprising that one of my favourite Hampton Court Show Gardens was a garden specifically designed with the needs of a dog in mind.

Seeds of Hope Garden

Christian Aid's Hampton Show Garden won the Tudor Rose Award - the highest award for a Show Garden. I was pleasantly surprised by the judges' decision: the distinctive West African garden was dominated by vegetables and structures, and had a strong political message - not the obvious recipe for an RHS favourite.