Award-winning show garden design - RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival 2024
The Climate-Forward Garden at RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival 2024. Photo Josh Croll.
The Climate-Forward Garden won silver-gilt at RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival 2024 in the Get Started category.
Melanie Hick Garden Design’s first show garden at RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival 2024 in the Get Started Category shows visitors how to easily put climate at the front of garden design conversations.
The tranquil retreat that is the Climate-Forward Garden is a harmonious blend of style and sustainability, thoughtfully designed to embrace the challenges of our ever-changing climate. We may face hotter summers and flooding rains. So we need to discuss that when we’re building gardens.
As you step into this enveloping space, you will be invited to take a seat in the conversation pit and take in the enchanting aromas and vibrant hues of Australian eucalyptus and crepe myrtle.
Here, drought-friendly plants thrive in stylish porous gravel. Habitat poles strategically placed at the rear of the garden encourage biodiversity, creating a haven for small bees to flourish.
Inspired by the evolution of Australian garden design, this space masterfully blends functionality with beauty, showcasing how to reduce water usage while seamlessly incorporating reclaimed materials and welcoming habitats.
Escape the stresses of daily life and retreat into our Climate-Forward Garden, where you'll find solace in an embracing environment that unites people with nature.
KEY PLANTS IN THE CLIMATE-FORWARD GARDEN:
Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. niphophila ‘Mt Bogong’
Eremophila nivea
Lagerstroemia indica 'Purpurea'
Dianthus carthusianorum
Correa Mauve Form
Calistemon
The brief that the judges assessed the garden on is:
A climate-friendly, sunny south-facing front garden that will remind the client of growing up in Australia.
Space to casually sit and socialise around a piece of the client’s art.
The client likes muted greens with shots of zingy hues with plants and reclaimed and weathered materials that are reminiscent of her time in Australia.
Melanie Hick. Credit Sophie Robinson.
Inspired by the eucalypt-filled landscapes of Australia.
The Climate-Forward Garden is supported by The RHS, sponsored by F.H. Brundle with Straightcurve weathering steel edging and is built by London Hard Landscapes.