We’re days away from the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show 2009. This July, the Life Cycle Garden will stand brave under the strict gaze of the show’s judges.
Our gardener Elaine and a team of dedicated volunteers have been working round the clock to create something stunning for the show.
The build begins!
Three days to go...
Like a huge halo
Exploring the undergrowth
Secret pond
The garden boundary
Up the garden path
Six days to go...
Almost a garden...
Installing the copper hoops
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Seven days to go...
The Life Cycle Garden is starting to take shape!
Installing the table
Installing the living bench
Trying the bench out for size
From small beginnings... digging our plot at Hampton Court Palace
Construction concentration
The shed arrives and goes up
Our lovely conservation officer Chantal
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2 weeks to go... the latest pics!
Shed builder extraordinaire
Plants for the garden
Getting soily in Southwark
The hedge!
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3 weeks to go... the latest pics!
Chainsaw action!
Making the table
Preparing the loop hoops (for our recycled copper hooped trellis)
Making loops!
Getting arty with sticks - creating tree sculptures for the garden
Our wonderful expert gardener Elaine!
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4 weeks to go... the latest pics!
“We’re committed to using reclaimed materials and recycling found objects. There are just a few weeks to find everything we need and build the garden. It’s a challenge but a good one. It’s making us resourceful and creative. We recently sourced some fantastic old scaffolding timber and it’s being transformed into our living shed with its green roof. Rejected materials are being given new life, literally” says Elaine, who is both breathless and excited by all the work required to design and build a show garden.
Over the next few weeks Elaine’s bright ideas will be transformed into a living, breathing garden. It’s a funny way of gardening, a race against time to produce a mobile but well established and working green space. But it’s a lot fun too and being at Hampton Court for the annual flower show is a joy for any gardener and a great way to share ideas and challenge traditional views. So, five weeks and counting. Tick tock.
Work in progress...
Constructing the green roof for the shed
Daisy fields forever – nurturing our daisy lawn
Building barriers – constructing the log wall
Lots and lots of TLC required - taking care of the plants
It’s alive! Tending to our living garden furniture
Tree art experiments
Loopy...
Working super hard!