The Wasteland Garden

Kate Gould is delighted to be returning to The RHS Chelsea Flower Show during its centennial year with her show garden, The Wasteland.

The theme for The Wasteland has been developing for several years. Inspired by Kate’s experiences working in and around London, it is the regeneration of a derelict space where over time infrastructure has crumbled and rubbish may have been dumped.

There are many unloved spaces in towns and cities that could be renovated and transformed into havens for wildlife and people. Many of these areas would not need to be demolished as long as the existing structures are made safe.

The Wasteland has been imagined on an abandoned water pumping works. The left over structures are incorporated into a new garden space with the old ‘Headwall’ at the centre. Its heavily concrete and industrial feel is to be contrasted and softened by a planting scheme that includes green walls. 

A small canopy is made good from a perceived old structure at one of the entrances to the garden. The headwall is renovated to create a contemporary water feature and wire mesh boundary screens created from old shopping trolleys and mattress springs are erected to create a light-weight feeling of enclosure to the garden.

Planting

Plants have been selected in some part for their naturalising qualities and to soften a hardscape in shades of grey. Lush green, ferny foliage and bold leaf shapes cast shadows against dull concrete and metal while warmth is achieved by selected planting in blue and rich deep red.  The garden is intended in the main as a late spring garden which would be quieter later in the year as natural water availability dries up. 

Plant List
 
Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Viridis'
Allium atropurpureum
Anthriscus sylvestris
Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata 'Ruby Port'
Asarum europaeum
Asplenium scolopendrium
Betula nigra
Brunnera macrophylla
Camassia cusickii
Cirsium rivulare
Convallaria majilis
Cornua 'Midwinter Fire'
Cornus controversa 'Variegata'
Cornus kousa
Corydalis flexuosa
Daphne odora 'Aureomarginata'
Dicentra 'Aurora'
Digitalis x mertonensis
Dryopteris erythrosora
Dryopteris felix-mas
Enkianthus campanulatus
Epimedium x youngianum 'Niveum'
Equisetum hymale
Erythronium 'Pagoda'
Euonymus alatus 'Compactus'
Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Robbiae',
Geranium phaeum var. phaeum 'Samobor'
Hakonechloa macra
Helleborus x hybridus 'Harvington Lime'
Hesperis matronalis ver. albiflora
Hosta 'Royal Standard'
Iris sibirica 'Dulas'
Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra'
Leucojum aestivum
Ligularia 'Desdemona'
Luzula nivea
Matteucia struthiopteris
Onoclea sensibilis
Paeonia 'Krinkled White'
Persicaria microcephala 'Red Dragon'
Polystichum aculeatum
Primula japonica 'Miller's Crimson'
Rheum palmatum
Rhododendron 'Albert Schweitzer'
Rodgersia 'Chocolate Wings'
Sanguisorba menziesii
Saxifraga 'Primuloides'
Selinum wallichianum
Sesleria autumnalis
Smilacina racemosa
Stewartia pseudocamellia
Stipa tenuissima
Typha minima
Viburnum opulus
Viburnum plicatum 'Mariesii'
Vinca minor 'Gertrude Jekyll'
Zantadeschia aethiopica