Lloyds TSB “Traveller's Retreat”

By Trevor Tooth. The Lloyd's TSB Garden represents an area of garden that was once a pond, but due to the change in the water table now sits mainly in the dry. This area has been transformed into an area of inspiration with vibrant colours, plants and architecture, evoking memories of travels around the world.

The garden is surrounded by a 2m (6.5ft) high rendered wall painted black and red. The wall will give protection to some of the more tender varieties of plants, and the coloured backdrop compliments and jars against the planting. The garden is connected by an oak pathway suspended above the planting, linking circular concrete platforms that are designed to allow visitors to the garden the opportunity to pause on their journey through it. ravelling into the garden, the visitor reaches a curtain of water, which leads to a platform suspended over a pond with bubble jets to give the water movement and life. On this platform, the visitor can shelter from rain or sun under Venus - a metal sculptured folly inspired by a Venus fly trap and made of steel and Perspex.

The planting in the garden is an eclectic mix of plants giving different moods. Towards the front there are plants that grow predominantly in dry, sunny positions, with mass drifts of Carex buchananii and Dianthus deltoides.

An old olive tree sits to one side, and a Lagerstroemia underplanted with Corokia cotoneaster to the other. Further in the planting becomes more tropical and vibrant and incorporates canna lilies, tree ferns, palms, Helenium and bananas, and plants in rich orange, red, yellow and blue. Verbena bonariensis repeats throughout the section, alongside purple textured plants, linking the planting scheme and leading the eye. The planting colours to the rear of the garden are gentler, with pinks, blues and greens and some subtle yellows.

There are several key features within the garden. To the rear, is the curtain of water within a stainless steel frame, which encapsulates a waterfall in a modern form. This curves and divides the garden naturally. Creating power for the garden and home is a wind turbine, which is placed among silver birch trees.

Planting list

TREES
Acer palmatum var. dissectum Dissectum Atropurpureum Group
Cercis Canadensis 'Forest Pansy'
Eucalyptus gunnii
Olea europea
Salix alba
Betula utilis var. jacquemontii
Prunus serrula
Lagerstroemia
Cryptomeria

SHRUBS
Callistemon citrinus 'Splendens'
Clereodendrum bungei
Corokia
Eriobotrya japonica
Acca sellowiana
Fatsia japonica
Pittosporum tobira 'Nanum'
Nandina domestica
Pseodopanax lessonii
Pseudopanax crassifolius
Cornus alba 'Sibirica'
Phormiums cookianum
Phyllostachys aureus
Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Tom Thumb'
Sambucus nigra
Itea ilicifolia
Pseudosasa japonica
Loropetalum chinensis f. rubrum 'Fire Dance'

PERENNIALS
Canna 'Durban'
Canna 'Australia'
Canna × ehemanii
Cautleya spicata
Colocasia esculenta
Cordyline australis
Verbena bonariensis
Aeonium 'Zwartkop'
Dianthus carthusianorum
Actaea simplex
Acanthus spinosus
Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii
Erigeron karvinskianus
Euphorbia polychroma
Knautia macedonica
Geranium himalayense
Monarda 'Croftway Pink'
Allium sphaerocephalon
Iris sibirica 'Caesar's Brother'
Achillea
Geranium 'Johnson's Blue'
Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata 'Ruby Port'
Cirsium rivulare 'Atropurpureum'
Sanguisorba 'Tanna'
Astrantia major 'Rubra'
Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant'
Allium giganteum
Salvia x sylvestris 'Mainacht'
Aloysia triphylla
Convolvulus cneorum
Dahlia 'Bishop of Llandaff'
Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora 'Emily McKenzie'
Eryngium alpinum
Crocosmia 'Emberglow'
Crocosmia 'Lucifer'
Dahlia 'David Howard'
Cynara cardunculus
Echinacea 'Arts Pride'
Echinacea purpurea Bressingham hybrids
Echinacea 'Sunrise'
Erysimum 'Apricot Twist'
Eucomis pole-evansii
Gaura lindheimeri 'Siskiyou Pink'
Fragaria × ananassa Red Ruby ('Samba')
Geum 'Borisii'
Geum 'Mrs J. Bradshaw'
Hemerocallis 'Burning Daylight'
Hemerocallis 'Red Rum'
Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon'
Heuchera 'Chocolate Ruffles'
Heuchera villosa 'Palace Purple'
Iris 'Kent Pride'
Iris 'Berkley Gold'
Iris 'Cherry Garden'
Iris 'Sable'
Kniphofia 'Bees' Lemon'
Kniphofia 'John Benary'
Kniphofia galpinii
Libertia grandiflora
Lychnis chalcedonica
Perovskia 'Blue Spire'
Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Firetail'
Agapanthus
Helenium 'Moerheim Beauty'
Helianthemum 'Mrs C. W. Earle'
Muehlenbeckia complexa
Dasylirion serratifolium
Melianthus major

GRASSES
Arundo donax var. versiocolor
Carex buchananii 'Chocolate'
Astelia chathamica
Phalaris arundinacea var. picta
Anemanthele lessoniana
Juncus effusus
Deschampsia cespitosa
Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberspinne'
Stipa tenuifolia

FERNS AND PALMS
Trachycarpus fortunei
Chamaerops humilis
Dicksonia antarctica
Beschorneria yuccoides
Musa basjoo
Yucca filimentosa
Agave americana
Cordyline australis 'Purpurea'
Yucca gloriosa
Muehlenbeckia complexa

WATERSIDE PLANTS
Aruncus dioicus
Hosta (Tardiana Group) 'Halcyon'
Hosta undulata var. albomarginata
Lythrum virgatum 'Dropmore Purple'
Iris sibirica 'Perry's Blue'
Iris sibirica 'Tropic Night'
Cyperus papyrus
Primula vialii
Zantadeschia aethiopica 'Crowborough'
Equisetum ramosissimum var. japonicum
Typha latifolia
Inula ensifolia
Gunnera manicata