Chris Beardshaw returns for Chelsea 2012
Chris Beardshaw returns for Chelsea 2012 with a touch of acid!
Furzey Gardens, in Hampshire, will be the inspiration for Chris Beardshaw’s return to RHS Chelsea 2012, with a show garden that is set to buck recent trends.
Chris was last at Chelsea in 2007 and is renowned for his luscious planting schemes. His Chelsea design will be a sloping woodland incorporating a large collection of acid loving species including rhododendrons, azaleas, acers and primulas.
Ericaceous plants and shrubs have fallen out of favour with designers at Chelsea in recent years, but in his design Chris is going to use them to spectacular effect to illustrate the rare collections indicative of Furzey Gardens, which celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2012.
Furzey Gardens were laid out in 1922 as a private garden planted with rare plants from around the world. The Furzey Gardens Charitable Trust bought the gardens in 1972 after they had fallen into disrepair, opening them to the public and restoring and improving them over that time.
A sister charity, the Minstead Training Project, provides training opportunities for students with learning disabilities, who are able to be involved in all aspects of caring for the gardens as part of their training to develop their social, domestic and work skills. The Furzey students have helped Chris find inspiration for his design to recreate the spirit of Furzey and they will also help Chris on site at Chelsea. After the show they will help relocate the garden back to Furzey Gardens where the public will be able to visit and see the students' handiwork.
Chris is delighted to be creating the design for Furzey to celebrate the garden's 90th anniversary: "Our aim is to capture the unique essence of Furzey Gardens which will engender the same feeling of peace and tranquillity that envelopes visitors as they wander round the paths and secret corners of this special garden," he says. "We are sifting through some of the original paperwork dating back to the 1920s and discovering some exciting plant introductions which relate to the great plant hunters George Forrest and Frank Kingdom Ward and we are hoping to showcase some of these alongside many ericaceous plants and shrubs which are not generally seen at Chelsea and which will be at their most magnificent in May."
Pete White, Furzey's head gardener is also excited that the students have the opportunity to work with Chris on a show garden project. The Chelsea garden will also help raise awareness and emphasise the importance of organisations such as the Minstead Training Project and the Furzey Gardens Charitable Trust, in working to help people with learning disabilities reach their full potential.
Information about Furzey Gardens can be found on: www.furzey-gardens.org
Picture Credit: © Furzey Gardens
