The Outdoor Room by Andy Sturgeon

By Garden Designer Andy Sturgeon. This garden ties in with Cancer Research UK's 'Together we will beat cancer' campaign and focuses on the word together; hedges, paths and benches are interlinked and lock together.

A dramatic aspect is a 30m- (100ft-) long sculpture, which consists of five strands of curved oak ribbons that wave together and wind through the garden linking the different elements.

Paths from either end of the Cancer Research UK Garden draw people together to the heart garden, where there is a modern amphitheatre with benches of stacked limestone.

A contemporary pavilion, inspired by modern Japanese architecture, features a triptych of sensuous ceramic wall sculptures by Japanese artist Mari-Ruth Oda.

A series of clipped yew hedges of different lengths and heights form a backdrop to the planting and create different views of the garden. The planting colour scheme is a variety of greens with purples, mauves, pinks and white.

Plant list (click on any of the green links for more information):

Foliage
Acanthus spinosus
Agapanthus africanus
Artemisia 'Valerie Finnis'
Carex testacea
Cynara cardunculus
Deschampsia cespitosa
Eriobotrya japonica
Euphorbia martinii
Foeniculum vulgare
Kirengeshoma palmata
Lavandula dentata
Luzula nivea
Osmanthus x burkwoodii
Rodgersia podophylla
Polystichum polyblepharum
Polystichum setiferum
Rosmarinus officinalis
Soleirolia soleirollii
Salvia officinalis 'Purpurascens'
Stipa arundinacea
Stipa tenuifolia
Stipa gigantea
Taxus baccata hedges

Trees
Cornus contorversa