At the first meeting of Aldersbrook Horticultural Society since the Summer break, we were pleased to welcome Manoj Malde, a well-known Garden Designer, who appears on the BBC’s Your Garden Made Perfect and More 4’s Garden of the Year. He spoke about the garden he designed for the Chelsea show in 2017, taking us through the planning process, meeting the assessment criteria set by the RHS, hunting in Europe and the UK for plants and then the actual build itself. His talk was lively and entertaining with beautiful images and film of the garden, which was based on the work of the Mexican architect, Luis Barragan and called Beneath a Mexican Sky. The garden was based on bright colours and the planting was mainly Mediterranean with beautiful drought tolerant plants such as Agaves, Aeonium and Cistus with structure provided by Strawberry Trees (Arbutus unedo). The first plans are submitted to the RHS in July, with feedback in September and the final selection of which gardens will be selected for the show announced in November. From then on it’s all go – plant selection, building the structures needed for the garden and enrolling teams of helpers to construct the garden. The gardeners are given three weeks to construct their gardens and have to be ready to be judged by the Saturday before the Show opens. Manoj’s talk was very well received and questions included how to design a small garden, the experience of working on a show like Your Garden Made Perfect, and the design of Manoj’s own garden.
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The Lakehouse and AHS Gardeners update
Further to the post on 22 April this year, the plot on the corner of Blake Hall Road/ Blake Hall Crescent and Belgrave Road has developed even beyond our wildest expectations.
Redbridge Council issued us with a small bag of wildflower seeds which, after preparing the plot, we scattered.
Some of us were a little sceptical regarding how the rain garden/wildflower plot would develop. In order to make the plot look cared for, volunteers planted contributions from their own gardens. One of our volunteers provided signs and we kept a close eye on how the plot was being respected by the public.
Thanks also to the residents adjacent to the site, who were not originally part of the planting team but have offered the use of their water supply when needed.
The wet weather and the stony quality of the soil have proved to be the perfect combination for the wildflowers. Locals who travel past on the 101, W19 and 308 buses, have mentioned how lovely it looks.
Additionally, our gardening team was somewhat concerned during a heavy downpour as to whether the new drainage system, recently installed, would prove adequate. However, it coped well with the deluge of water, as seen in the photos.
The team continue to monitor the site and take pride in how the plot enhances the area. Bees and butterflies have been spotted which contributes to the wellbeing of our environment. The social interaction of not only the volunteer gardening group but others who have commented on the work is very positive in bringing people together.
We will continue to care for the site and look forward to supplying further updates.
Rosemarie Coffey, Lakehouse and AHS Gardeners