Growing our Chelsea Flower Show Pavilion Garden

With less than a month to go until show week, we headed to Kelways Plants Ltd in Somerset to see how the plants for our Chelsea Flower Show Garden are preparing for their big debut.

Our steam bent stand will feature exquisite, carefully curated gardens designed by critically acclaimed Cornish designer, and RHS Chelsea Flower Show double gold medallist, Darren Hawkes.

Soft, subtle planting of predominantly green tones will be interspersed with splashes of purple and pink to recreate a calming English countryside feel, reminiscent of the beautiful wild woodland surrounding our Cornish studio.

Despite the snowy conditions experienced last month, we are pleased to report that all of the plants and flowers are flourishing, including our wildflower turf roof (set to go on top of our steam bent pavilion structure).

Here's a sneak preview of some of the plants you can expect to see:

Goat’s Beard (Aruncus Dioicus)

A member of the Rosaceae Family, Goat's Beard prefers to grow in moist woodland. Plants with ‘male’ flowers produce showier plumes whilst the 'female’ flowers tend to be pendent and less creamy white in colour.

Remote Sedge (Carex Remota)

A beautiful evergreen grass that bears pale yellow flowers in late summer and suites shaded, patio areas.

Common Foxglove (Digitalis Purpurea)

A Cornish true favourite and hedgerow frequenter, the common Fox Glove attracts bees and butterflies with its source of pollen and is intended to bring a touch of country life to the city. The fox Glove grows in most soil types, but tends not to like extreme temperature fluctuations and extreme conditions. 

Barrenwort (Epimedium Gradiflorum)

Barrenwort is another evergreen perennial joining our line up for Chelsea Flower Show. The plant flowers from April to May (perfect for our garden) and produces heart-shaped foliage. Darren chose Barrenwort due to it being a very hardy plant which grows voraciously in the wild Cornish woodlands due to it preferring partially shaded conditions. 

Scented Bedstraw (Galium Odoratum)

Other names include Woodruff, Sweet Woodruff and Wild Baby’s Breath. Scented Bedstraw is a herbaceous plant with beautiful, distinctive, sweet smelling foliage. prefering partial shade, much like Barrenwort, the plant grows best in mosit, rich soils.

Ostrich Fern (Matteucia Struthiopteris)

This unusual fern gains its name from its said resemblance to Ostrich plumes. Matteucia Struthiopteris favours riverbanks and sandbars and is a crown forming, colony plant. We can't wait to see this one in situ, the beautiful zingy green will really compliment the steam bent ash pavilion.

 Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum Biflorum)

Also known as 'Smooth Solomon’s Seal' or 'Great Solomon’s Seal' this leafy plant is said to possess scars on it that resemble the ancient Hebrew seal of King Solomon. In May, small white green flowers droop from the stalks and later produce small blue berries.

Sem (Sorbaria Sem)

Sem produces small white flowers in summer and has fern like foliage that begins to unfurl in spring, changing colour as the season progresses. Originating in the Ural Mountains this shrub prefers partial or full sun and grows best in well drained soil. 

Posted: 09.05.18
Updated: 15.04.21