Vital Earth: The Nights Sky Garden

Designed by Harry and David Rich. Vital Earth The Night Sky Garden features serpentine stonewalls outlining simple constellations with a boundary hedge revealing irregular copper discs against a dark backdrop, resembling stars. 

Inside, modest seating combines with a range of different sized protruding boulders resembling fallen meteors. 

Planting echoes the feel of the spiralling Milky Way with blues, whites and purples crafting a naturalistic space with a canopy of trees opening to reveal the sky.

Two reflection pools resemble black holes (dead stars), mirroring the sky and surrounding planting.  A spiral staircase leads to a roof top space suitable for relaxing and viewing the night sky.

Plant list:

Perennials
Acanthus hungaricus
Achillea 'Walther Funcke
Angelica archangelica
Anthriscus sylvestris 'Ravenswing
Aquilegia 'Kristall'
Aquilegia ‘black barlow’
Asplenium scolopendrium
Astrantia major 'Claret
Astrantia major subsp. 'Shaggy’
Briza media
Buxus sempervirens
Camassia leichtlinii subsp. alba
Carex buchananii
Chaerophyllum hirstum roseum
Digitalis purpurea f. albiflora
Euphorbia wallichii
Hakonechloa macra
Hosta sieboldiana
Iris 'Frost and Flame'
Iris ‘Sultans palace’
Iris sibirica 'Tropic Night'
Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Alba'
Matteuccia struthiopteris
Meconopsis baileyi
Onoclea sensibilis
Pimpinella major 'Rosea'
Polygonatum × hybridum
Polystichum munitum
Salvia verticillata
Stipa arundinacea
Stipa gigantea
Stipa tenuissima
Tellima grandiflora
Tiarella cordifolia
Verbascum phoeniceum 'Violetta'

Trees
Acer campestre
Betula ‘pendula’
Pyrus calleryana

Hedge
Acer campestre