When the RHS approached me with the opportunity to design a garden for the Hampton Court Garden Festival, I was thrilled.
Designing a Four Season Sanctuary for this event felt like the perfect opportunity to show that contemporary design can be so much more than concrete, paving slabs, and uniform planting.
A garden should be a haven for both people and wildlife, a space where nature thrives alongside us.
We often forget that we are a part of nature, but reconnecting with the wild beauty of our planet can be incredibly enriching.
Imagine our gardens not just as outdoor spaces, but as vibrant ecosystems where wild species feel as welcome as we do.
By choosing materials with care and consideration, we can create environments that are both sympathetic and empathetic to the world around us.
With the Four Season Sanctuary, I set out to demonstrate that strong, geometric, contemporary design can coexist with nature in harmony.
By incorporating permeable surfaces like gravel, recycled timber for fencing and pergolas made from locally sourced, wind-blown trees, this balance can be achieved in any garden, regardless of size.
The design creates a sense of space through varying levels and bold tree plantings, leading to a central seating area where one can relax and become gently immersed in the surrounding greenery.
I secured fence posts with rammed earth instead of concrete, and opted for hessian underlay beneath gravel areas rather than plastic membranes.
Insect and bug hotels were easily crafted from old picket fencing, filled with cut logs and leftover willow trimmings from the garden’s boundary.
All hard landscaped areas used permeable gravel, creating microclimates that support a variety of invertebrates.
A wildlife pond became a centerpiece, offering drinking water for birds and attracting the insects they feed on. I even removed a few pebbles from the pond’s edges to create small drinking spots for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
It’s essential to provide entry and exit points for wildlife around the pond, which I achieved with branches and slate to form gentle slopes. Including varying depths within the pond allows for a range of plants to thrive, from marginal species to those that oxygenate the water.
To keep the pond cool during hot weather, I made sure it had sufficient depth, another reminder that even small details can make a big difference. You don’t need a vast garden to include water; even a small pond made from an old tub can attract an amazing variety of wildlife.
Some of the plants featured in this design include sweet galingale and flowering rush, which offer dragonfly nymphs a place to climb out of the water as they transform into dragonflies.
Common ragged robin, a wonderful marginal plant, attracts pollinators, while Dutch rush adds height and year-round interest.
Ultimately, this garden is a sanctuary for both humans and wildlife. It’s a place where we can reconnect with nature and find peace.
For more information please contact Tim on 07843 487 394
or email: tim@everchangingdesign.co.uk
