HOME AND DRY

Designer: Rhodri Wilson

RHS Award: Bronze Medal

This was a garden for a young couple without children, who have perhaps returned from their travels to their home sanctuary – a low maintenance garden. The design premise was a paradise garden consisting of all the things they might wish for, warmth, shelter and dry underfoot.

It was designed to be easily maintained and provide an attractive space for working, relaxing, entertaining and spending as much time in as possible whatever the weather. It aimed to offer a peaceful, safe, relaxing space you’d never want to leave.

The design incorporated a canvas covered shelter using steam bent coppiced ash, mimicking those used in Mongolian yurts. The space at the back was planted with flax to symbolize the bland uniformity of British monocultural farmland. In contrast, the remainder of the planting resembled a mixed wildflower meadow, loosely planted with a colourful mix including native and wild flowers to provide the best resistance to climate change. The planting was designed to provide maximum impact through Spring right through to Summer.