NEW to RHS Malvern Spring Festival 2018, the Green Living Spaces feature, in association with London Stone and Hortus Loci, embraces contemporary living, showing how first time buyers and renters can green up their limited space and bring the outside in.
Two balconies, two patios and an interior room will be packed with inspiring ideas for festival goers to take home with them. The designers will create spaces that are functional, beautiful and portable, ensuring the garden can travel with those moving houses.
RHS Ambassador, Jamie Butterworth and Mentor of Green Living Spaces, said: “More people are on the move than ever before, with 37% of the British population in rented accommodation. Because of this, we need to be more creative with how we garden, and where we garden.
“We need to find new, creative ways to bring plants into our lives. This new category is a fantastic way of showcasing and encouraging #GenerationRent to get gardening and get growing.”
Hoping to encourage the next generation of horticulturalists, the designers will demonstrate practical, inspirational and beautiful ways of maximising space using carefully chosen plants from nurseries in the Floral Marquee and Plant Village. Visitors will be able to take home both the ideas and the plants to turn those dreams into a reality.
Jamie added: “House plants have a huge range of benefits – they improve the air quality in our homes; absorbing air pollutants, they reduce stress, control humidity, reduce sound levels, and above all look beautiful. Plants are good for us and the planet so any way that we can green up our increasingly grey Britain is beneficial to all.”
Here’s what visitors can look forward to this year:
The Salad Deck by Andy Bending
With beds bursting with edible delights, a living wall of salad leaves, plenty of herbs and edible succulents, this is a garden that’s set to taste as good as it looks. Founder of Bristol Organic Gardening, Andy Bending is championing self-sufficient gardeners and putting the environment at the heart of his design with sustainable, reclaimed timber decking.
The Urban Escape by Sebastian Conrad
Art inspires this varied space that aims to spark curiosity with a collection of artistic items placed within a planting scheme that brings soothing tranquillity as well as energising colour.
Lush green ferns and plants with mild white tones bring the relaxation element while corals and bright oranges create a vibrant feel within the space.
Horticulture student Sebastian brings bags of creativity over from Germany where he’s worked in theatre stage design as well as in a bespoke artisan flower shop.
Outside Number 39 by Elaine Portch
The younger generation, in the form of Elaine’s daughter, has inspired this balcony, which offers space to eat outdoors as well as to relax and unwind. Using varying levels of plants to create the effect of being in a larger garden, it includes easy to maintain succulents, grasses, herbs and chillis. Garden designer Elaine specialises in residential outdoor spaces and will be using plenty of up-cycled pieces of furniture, re-purposed planters and sculptural works to bring colour and interest to the balcony.
Grow, dine and relax by Anne Keenan
This balcony is designed around creating a relaxing space to sit and entertain friends as well as to cook and share food while surrounded by easily grown edible plants.
Award-winning landscape architect Anne Keenan has imagined a newly engaged couple’s outdoor space as her inspiration. Her concept will include easily transportable elements for re-use or up-cycling at their next home. Plants include herbs, salads and figs as well as violas and day lilies.
Tickets are now on sale for RHS Malvern Spring Festival, which takes place from Thursday 10 May until Sunday 13 May. Free entry for children under the age of 16 is available throughout the festival. For more information on ticket prices, please call 0844 811 0050 (calls cost 7p per minute plus network extras) or visit www.rhsmalvern.co.uk.