Tel: 07866 782023

Events

Great News

Our garden won a Gold and got Best in Show (back-to-back garden). Why not click on the link below to see the picture and a video of the garden.

Show Garden News

This year we are creating a ‘back to back’ show garden at the RHS Tatton Flower Show, which takes place from July 23rd to July 27th inclusive.   Link to Tatton website

A ‘back to back’ garden is a small space, which measures 4 metres by 6 metres. We had to submit our outline design to the RHS in December 2007 and were delighted when we were accepted to take part in the show.

Muller, the international food company agreed to be our sponsor, with the theme of the garden promoting healthy living with an emphasis on children. With this in mind we developed a design combining the production of fruit and vegetables and the provision of play facilities for the children but which would also be an attractive contemporary space for the adults.

Hence our title:-

5-a-day with hidden play

Many newly built family houses have very small gardens but parents do not want a garden that looks like a children’s playground or an allotment. Our idea was to create a garden, which looks modern and inviting for adults but which contains many hidden play features for children, a garden in which fruit and vegetables are grown but using stylish containers and compact, accessible fruit trees.

The whole area will be surfaced with a soft safety material, which as well as providing a practical soft landing for the children, is attractive, clean and free draining, resembling a modern resin bound surface..

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There will be two ‘dens’ doubling up as storage sheds, which the children can access by doors or by crawling through tunnels. The dens will have living roofs of herbs. The tunnels can also be used for climbing or sitting on, or for jumping off. (See model) Inside the doors of the dens are blackboards and magnetic boards for the children to scribble, draw or write.

In front of the dens are two contemporary seats and a table. The seats will have drawers at the bottom, which can be used for a sand pit, water tray or storage of other games.

The table is able to divide into three sections each of which is on casters and young children can use these as ride on toys.

An edible climber is positioned in one corner, which will be supported by a corner pergola. Attached to the pergola structure will be some metal hoops, which can be used for older children to swing from or to attach a small swing for a young child.

A focal point will be a large stone strawberry, which the children can climb on and jump off.

A piece of metal artwork hangs on the wall and can be used as ball hoops for the children to throw balls through. We are going to install an exciting water feature in the form of jumping jets, which will jump from one of the metal containers and disappear into another. These are available to the public for the first time this year.

The vegetables are to be grown in smart metal containers, enabling the family to experiment with different ideas in a tidy uncluttered way. Fan and cordon fruit trees will be trained against the fencing and the wall of one den to provide fruit without taking up too much room.

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The following are people or companies who have given us help.

Chris Williams

A landscaper who works in and around Cheshire and is going to help us out with our hard landscaping. He is an experienced and talented landscaper who won the 2007 Bali Award for best garden under £20,000. We have worked with him on various projects and he is giving up his time to help us at Tatton.

John Bullar

A Cheshire based furniture maker who has converted our ideas for the table and chairs into a reality. He has provided us with these items and has skilfully made the furniture out of oak.

Stapeley Water Gardens

Based in Nantwich Cheshire Stapeley are going to lend us the jumping jet equipment for the duration of the show and help us to install our water feature. They sell many water features including the jumping jets.

Steel Engineering Ltd

The containers and roofs have been made by Steel Engineering Ltd. who are based in Renfrew, Scotland.

W. Robinson & son (seeds & plants) Ltd

Robinsons are going to grow and look after our vegetables for us. They are based in Lancashire (nr. Preston) and will have their own exhibit in the RHS floral marquee.

The Cottage Herbery

The Cottage Herbery are going to grow and look after the herbs that will grow on the roofs of the 'dens'.

Fasola

fasola.co.uk

'Rings' wall art.

Soft Surfaces Ltd

The soft safety surface is being supplied and laid by a Cheshire (Wilmslow) based firm.

Judy Lawrence

An interior designer for Inovo home has helped us with the colours and choice of cushion fabric.

Green Ginger Fabrics

Tel: 0161 928 8837

This Altrincham based shop has provided us with the fabric for our cushions..

Web links to all above are also on the Links page.

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