Chelsea Flower Show – Garden #6

The British Heart Foundation Garden – Ann-Marie Powell (2011)

2011 was the British Heart Foundation’s 50th anniversary and Ann-Marie took her inspiration directly from their celebrations and work. In particular Ann-Marie was inspired by a pop art image by Sir Peter Blake, the Patron of the BHF, to celebrate the Mending Broken Hearts Appeal.

This is beautiful, lush, verdant garden was striking both architecturally and from a planting perspective. Red heart strings rise up majestically from an inky black pool creating a walkway around the garden. Floating across the pool are blood red stepping stones, reminiscent of blood platelets.

Stunning, foliage oriented green planting is interspersed with red peonies, wild strawberries and Rodgersias. Thoughtfully included within the planting pallette are Salix caprea (an important source of aspirin) and Tilia cordata (Lime) with beautiful heart shaped leaves, echoing the garden’s theme perfectly, which are also edible when young.

This was Anne-Marie’s first solo Chelsea garden, and boy, what a show stopper!

Author: Mike the Gardener

Freelance gardening writer, consultant and designer. Mike Palmer is a passionate and professional plantsman, offering services in garden writing, consultancy and garden design. Mike is also available for garden and plant related talks and presentations. Mike has been a professional horticulturalist for over fifteen years. View all posts by Mike the Gardener