The Cancer Research UK Garden

By Andy Sturgeon. The Cancer Research UK Garden is a contemporary woodland garden, inspired by the enormous amount of progress that Cancer Research UK has made, and continues to make, in the battle to beat cancer.

The progress of the organisation is represented by the inclusion of four large rectangular pools that increase in size from the front to the back of the garden. From within these pools, a series of computer-generated raindrop-like ripples create a sequence of movement from the rear of the garden, towards the front.

The backdrop to the garden is a 'thought wall', a construction of shot-blasted and waxed steel rings, designed to symbolise the amount of research carried out by Cancer Research UK. This is placed in front of a cutting edge concrete render, made from crushed almonds, onto which the evening sun projects the bubble shapes of the thought wall.

Key plants include 30 large tree ferns and Antarctic beech (Nothofagus antarctica). These are both southern hemisphere plants, which will create an exotic wood and a series of glades, planted with shade and sun-loving plants.

The plant scheme itself relies predominately on green plants with differing textures. An accent colour of orange is conveyed with euphorbias, as well as the trunks of the tree ferns and the burnt orange colour of the wall.

TREES
Nothofagus antarctica

SHRUBS
Drimys lanceolata
Nandina domestica
Pittosporum tobira

FERNS
Dicksonia antarctica
Dryopteris erythrosora
Polystichum polyblepharum

BULBS
Fritillaria persica
Fritillaria camschatcensis
Lilium martagon
Nectaroscordum
Paris polyphylla

PERENNIALS AND GRASSES
Acanthus spinosus
Agastache 'Tangerine Dreams'
Alchemilla erythropoda
Aruncus dioicus
Astelia chathamica
Astrantia 'Hadspen Blood'
Astrantia major 'Roma'
Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata 'Ruby Port'
Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata 'Black Barlow'
Campanula glomerata 'Superba'
Carex muskingumensis
Deschampsia cespitosa
Equisetum ramosissimum var. japonicum
Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow'
Euphorbia palustris
Euphorbia cyparissias 'Orange Man'
Euphorbia 'Whistleberry Garnet'
Geranium 'Lily Lovell'
Geranium x magnificum
Hosta 'Krossa Regal'
Iris chrysographes
Iris ensata
Iris sibirica 'Caesar's Brother'
Libertia grandiflora
Libertia peregrinans or 'Taupo Sunset'
Luzula nivea
Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nippon'
Pilosella aurantiaca
Rehmannia elata
Rodgersia podophylla
Soleirolia soleirollii
Anemanthele lessoniana
Tellima grandiflora
Verbascum phoeniceum 'Violetta'