Monday 28 April 2014

Show gardens and other news

Hi Everyone

We are hoping to be able to reveal the winners of this years show gardens design competition tomorrow (fingers crossed)

As usual it's taken ages from the deadline to sort it all out and to email everyone that entered the competition feedback on their designs. So before that here's some newsy bits:


Now into its fifth year, this project has graced the Kent HQ of Jacksons with amazing displays of up to the minute examples of designer show gardens, aimed at providing visitors with inspiration for their own projects and bringing a little of the glamorous world of Chelsea and Hampton Court flower shows to this little corner of East Kent.

The connection with the prestigious RHS shows has taken root (pardon the pun) with two of the first years competition winners: Heather Appleton and Matthew Childs scooping gold medals at the big shows in the years after creating their first show gardens at Jacksons. 
I am delighted to hear that this year at Chelsea it is rumoured there will be even more ex-Jacksons show gardens winners exhibiting their design skills, when Heather and Matthew are joined by one of the 2011 winners, Helen Elks Smith. Her garden ‘The City Of London Corporation Oak Processionary Moth Garden’ aims to raise awareness of OPM with landowners and the general public, and underline the need and importance for co-ordinated treatment, infestations of the pest have proved impossible to eradicate in some areas of West and South-West London.
It’s an interesting choice of inspiration for a show garden and having seen some of the plans it’s definitely one to look out for if you watch the TV programmes on Chelsea or if you are lucky enough to visit the show. 
And, I’m happy to say there’s another connection to Jacksons at the Chelsea Flower Show this year; our Venetian panels and the lovely new Retreat shelter will be starring in Chris Webb’s Sculpture garden, designed by Liz Brewer. It will be hard to miss right near the entrance to the Grand Pavillion!

We launched our Retreat shelter last year, and it was developed from an initial idea of a garden structure in The Sanctuary by Joanne Winn, one of the winning show garden designs last year.

It was certainly well received and I’m pleased to say that it now gets to kick its heels up at the RHS Chelsea flower show in May. This will be a space where visitors are warmly invited to freely touch and explore his work.  The sculptures are thoughtfully positioned in a beautiful garden setting themed to complement the work.  Chris will be working on the completion of a large stone carving during the show in his ‘pop-up’ workshop. Our Retreat will lend itself perfectly to a ‘sheltering’ role in the garden.



So on to this year and the Jacksons show gardens design competition, the opening is planned for the 31st May at Jacksons HQ at Stowting and the two new winning designs will be revealed, with the other five gardens having been livened up for the new season. 

The two gardens making way for new young blood are Helen Elks Smith’s Chill Out garden:





and the lovely Paradise garden by Mary Ann le May. 




 It will be sad to see them go, but exciting all the same to see what’s new. So to tip our hats at them, here they are on this page to enjoy for the last time.  We’ll miss the wonderful colour of the Paradise’s planting and the great relaxing vibe when imagining chilling out in the hammock!

For more info on the show gardens go to:





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