Top Trends from the 2024 RHS Chelsea Flower Show
One of the biggest events in the UK’s gardening calendar, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, has just taken place in London. Here Madingley Mulch, who supply DIY building materials in Cambridge and the surrounding area, analyse some of the leading garden trends from the latest annual show.
Imaginative Water Features
This year, many of the gardens had inbuilt water features. The WaterAid Garden drew water down funnels into a shallow channel and into a series of ponds. And the Flood: Re Flood Resilient Garden used a series of galvanised water tanks (at varying heights) with inbuilt spouts.
And even this year’s Best Balcony and Container Garden made full use of water in the middle of some lush greenery. The Ecotherapy Garden used a series of waterspouts and pools which fed through into a final plunge pool. The idea was that the users benefit not just from a cold dip, but also from the soothing sound of the water.
All these features – just like a common-or-garden water butt – lessened the need for any manual watering of plants. This is an important consideration given the extremes of climate the UK and the wider world has seen over recent years.
Low-Level Lighting
Although artificial light isn’t particularly eco-friendly, there are circumstances in which it can be helpful. The National Autistic Society’s Garden made use of low-level lighting to create safe steps at night through a garden which evolves from wetland meadow to birch woodland.
And the Boodles National Gallery Garden, which won the Best Construction Award in the Sanctuary Garden category, used colour-coordinated path lights to match the planting scheme.
The Garden is Still a Place to Relax
The winner of the Best Show Garden was Muscular Dystrophy UK, with their Forest Bathing Garden. More than 40 trees were used to create a forest-like atmosphere of calm which would benefit MD sufferers, their family and friends, as well as doctors and other clinicians. Reclaimed hard landscaping materials, including slate, tiles and pavers, meant it was a sustainable project as well.
And the Best Sanctuary Garden was the Burma Skincare’s Spirit of Partnership Garden. The garden made clever use of bark, moss and lichens, pictured, alongside some lush greenery. It tells the story of a partnership which supports Burmese healthcare workers treating adults and children with debilitating skin conditions.
All the plants in this garden are native to Myanmar, but they can be grown in the UK; many of them are wildlife-friendly and will help support birds, bees and other insects.
DIY Building Materials in Cambridge with Madingley Mulch
Whatever type of garden you are looking for, whether it’s been inspired by the RHS Chelsea Flower Show or not, Madingley Mulch should be able to help. We supply a wide variety of mulches, barks, soil conditioners and composts to help your plants thrive.
Our exclusive soil conditioners – which we supply to customers in Hertfordshire, Essex and Suffolk as well as Cambridgeshire – include Tony’s Tonic and Denise’s Delight. The latter is a natural soil conditioner with an exclusive mix of Black Fen soil, horse manure, wood shavings and other plant nutrients.
We also stock a variety of hard landscaping materials, including building sand and ballast, plus a selection of gravels, round stones, shingle, decorative stones and pebbles.
For more information check out our online shop here. You can also call us on 01954 212144 with your queries.
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024 Main Award Winners:
- Best Construction Award (Show Garden) – Terrence Higgins Trust Bridge to 2030 Garden
- Best Construction Award (Sanctuary Garden) – The Boodles Garden, built by Gadd Brothers Trees and Landscapes
- Best Balcony and Container Garden – The Ecotherapy Garden, designed by Tom Bannister
- Best All About Plants Garden – The Size of Wales Garden, designed by Dan Bristow.
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