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.
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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.
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Christian Aid Seed of Hope Show Garden...
- Christian Aid's Hampton Show Garden, Seeds of Hope, 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.