About the garden

The garden was inspired by the basic need to realise one’s full potential and become everything that you can be, as suggested by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The garden is a tiered, tropical style garden infused with a variety of cottage garden plants interspersed with lush foliage and textural plants. This garden is designed to educate people on how to over-winter tender and tropical plants.

Everything planted on the ground level can be over wintered outside, everything planted in the raised beds will need over wintering frost free. There is creative use of upcycled sculptures and a water feature with a seating area, perfect for a tropical cocktail on a warm summer evening. The garden build is simple, and the hard landscaping is easily replicated in your own garden.

Who or what is the design inspiration for the garden?

The garden was inspired by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. i.e. the basic needs to achieve self-actualisation and true happiness and/or the top tier of full plant geekery.

Where is the garden set?

The garden is set in the West Midlands.

Who is this garden for?

For a plant collector, someone who loves all plants indoor and outdoor.

Key take away from the garden

The knowledge of which plants need extra care over winter and which plants will survive a UK winter. A new found passion for tropical plants.

Highlights or themes to notice/know

There are two sets of upcycled sculptures symbolising the family bond. In the garden there will be a treasure hunt with 10 tiny watering cans, as inspiration to get children to engage with gardening.

There will be an ultrasonic atomiser to create humidity and give the effect of mist in a jungle. A small fern and moss display created the designer and her son as a quality time activity.

Topical or newsworthy elements within the garden

This garden is proof that gardening can help recovery from mental health issues. The additional creative upcycled items involved in this project are eco-friendly and help again with practicing mindfulness during the process of the build.

Current or upcoming gardening trends in the design

This garden will be a whole trend in itself. Houseplants and lush leaves give a modern and cool aesthetic to this space.

Where will the garden be relocated?

Elements of the garden are being relocated to a private sponsor’s house in the West Midlands.

Sustainability

Sustainable building methods, materials or technologies used to help minimise the garden’s environmental impact

The designer has included up-cycled items such as horse jumping poles as sculptures, a cattle trough to encourage rain water collection, and sustainably-grown timber. There will also be pollinating plants for all the beneficial wildlife.

Ways the garden promotes environmental responsibility /sustainability

By using up-cycled materials and encouraging people to propagate their own annual bedding planting from their houseplant collections.

Sustainable water management

The garden encourages people to collect, store and re-use rain water in water troughs. Houseplants especially benefit from rainwater rather than tap water.

Plants

New or statement plants

There will be a variety of rare and unusual plants in the garden. Including various cultivars of tree ferns, houseplants and a large palm tree. The colour scheme here will be lush greens purples and whites.

Five key plants 

• Trachycarpus fortuneii (Chusan Palm) – for height, structure, and its easy maintenance level.
• Sphaeropteris cooperi (syn. Cyathea cooperi) (Lacy Tree Fern) – for its beautiful canopy and stunning fronds.
• Tetrapanax papyrifer (Chinese Rice Paper Plant) –  for its stunning leaf form.
• Colocasia esculenta (Elephant’s Ears) – for the incredible heart shaped leaves
• Begonia luxurians (Palm Leaf Begoinia) – for the leaf for and ease of propagation.

Unsung plant heroes of the gardening world

Ferns of all shapes and sizes within the garden as the designer feels they are often over looked but can make a real difference to a shady corner.

Plant suppliers

Most of the plants are from the designer’s personal collection and she has chosen the plants she is most passionate about. Some plants will be coming from a wide range of suppliers, including Sarracenia from Wacks Wicked Plants.

Plant lists are provided by the designer of the garden as a guide to the plants they hope to use in the garden based on the time of year, the location and the client brief. The plants that feature at the Show depends on a variety of factors such as weather during the growing season and availability. While the designers try to update lists where possible, the accuracy of the list cannot be guaranteed.

About the designer

Kate Mason found solace and hope in gardening, having experienced significant post-natal depression. Her first garden design project was a surprise garden makeover for her disabled mum, but today she lives her passion full-time and runs her own business, Kate Mason Garden Designs.

What are the advantages of designing a garden at the show?

Kate says, “Ever since I started studying horticulture, I have been obsessed with show gardens. I love the fully finished product, because as a designer, I tend to design and install the garden but I don’t often get to see the result. I have been visiting and finding inspiration at RHS Malvern Spring Festival for a long time, and the friendly staff who welcome me every year make me feel like this is the perfect place for my first show garden.”