Stephen Hall is an acclaimed designed with seven Chelsea medals to his credit. He most recently won a Gold Medal and 'Best in Courtyard' with his Fenland Alchemist Garden in 2009.
The title of the garden is Fever-Tree's Tree House Garden and it has been inspired by the natural ingredients that go into Fever-Tree's range of natural mixers drinks. As the name suggests, the focal point of the garden will be a small tree house.
This will the sixth garden I've designed at Chelsea. I built my first show garden with friends and family and won a bronze medal. I couldn't keep away so the very next year I teamed up with the Essex Wildlife Trust - this time I won a silver medal. Then on a roll I entered again the following year, once again with friends and family but with the assistance of Essex Wildlife Trust. We won a silver medal and the 'People's Choice' award. In 2005 I designed a big show garden on the old rock bank with the National Wildlife Trusts. We were awarded a Silver again but this was huge undertaking. In 2009 I was working for a large landscape contractor based in the Fens and came up with a design for a really ramshackle 'Fenland' garden this really had a sense of place and was virtually perfect in every respect, a old Fen Tiger would have been happy living there, this time we were awarded a gold medal and 'Best in Courtyard.'
Citrus is just one of the flavours of the garden and, like some of the other plants and herbs, is one of the essential botanical ingredients used in Fever-Tree's products.
Fever-Tree were put in touch with me by the RHS as they were keen to have a garden at the Chelsea Flower Show. Together, we came up with the 'Tree House Garden' idea which really caught our imagination. From there we planned the garden around their natural ingredients as well as other exotic plants that can be used to treat fever.
Imagine walking over a grassy bank full of wildflowers then stepping over a small stile in an old country fence to find a paved path of rustic stone. The path leads past a bistro table and chairs set out for a relaxing Gin and Tonic and then you see a little tree house perched on top of a tree stump just big enough for children to clamber onto and play. The garden is also planted with herbs that have traditionally been used to treat fever, whilst citrus have been placed in pots around the tree house platform.
I'm never sure I really have a style. A designer has to be flexible when working with clients as their taste will differ greatly. I always tend towards the rustic at Chelsea I find the challenge of making something look like it has always been there is thrilling, I suppose it is Christopher Lloyd that drives me most.
I have been designing gardens since 1990, I first set out as a gardener maintaining people's gardens - there is nothing better than learning about plants in a hands-on way. People began to ask me about new borders and then building gardens so I evolved into an all round landscaper. However my interest has always been design and I was awarded a garden design diploma at Writtle College in 1992. As garden design gained in popularity, I enrolled again at Writtle, this time a for a Bsc Hons degree in Landscape and Garden Design. This took me seven years to complete part time.
Definitely seeing the other gardens grow from bare earth and the race to finish. I cannot wait to see what everyone else will be doing, I always love walking through the Marquee as the floral exhibits begin to take shape and seeing the marquee fall silent on the Sunday night, its heaven.
Reclaim, recycle and grow goodies to eat amongst your border perennials. If space is tight try espalier fruit trees covered with clematis.
It has to be Sissinghurst - an arts and crafts garden packed full of style and planting delight set against a dreamy back ground of historic architecture.