Help for Heroes is always a compelling theme. There is nostalgia gratitude and empathy as it is such a worthy cause that connects and touches us all. The garden itself celebrates the journey of recovery, progression and moving forward to something better. Conceptionally it works.
It wasn't blue and yellow and a lot of the gardens were. Within the garden were lots to places to be and sit in the latter and reflect in the mid deciding point of the journey and the finale, each vista was beautiful. To travel through it there was a sense of travelling on a journey, changing scenery using granite square blocks of different sizes at different stages to represent the steps to recovery. The designers perceive it as initially 'raw' and finally 'complete', in the final stage were it sits flat above ground smooth in the green wall.
Notice the engraved bench 'They are not just blokes but they our blokes'
and the Stone work 'Inspire Enable Support' All powerfully emotive.
The Planting
Lots of rich warm shades are inviting. An avenue of Hornbeam takes us along a path from beginning to end. The initial planting is quite wild and it becomes more ordered.The woody planting with foxgloves, hosta, ferns, brunnera, aquilegia, euphorbia is a good base throughout. Open areas feature the plants that want to be well drained the rich red thistle Circium rivulare which must have been a late edition as it is not in the original plant list. Delphinium 'Black Knight' group makes a dramatic statement in the central area against a yew back drop and also pale blue iris also not in the plant list.The fantastic red lupin is Red Rum. White agapanthus creates a serene and appropriate calm to the engraved masonry. Little statement pop us for us to enjoy The arum lilly Zantedeschia is so white and pure its peaceful and reflective its hope a long the journey.
