Sustainability, community and sharing sit at the heart of The Savills Garden for this years Chelsea Flower Show. Designed by Mark Gregory and built by Landform, the walled countryside garden with its low carbon footprint has a working kitchen and modern dining table at the centre. Eight Chelsea Pensioners will be treated to a 'plot to plate’ lunch each day throughout the show.
Each dish presented uses the garden's produce, with ingredients grown, picked and prepared within the surroundings. Fresh herbs fill our planters, and our glasses and serving pieces decorate and set the communal table for a convivial lunch.
From circular design and the careful sourcing of materials, to the importance of togetherness and family, we find a moment to talk to Mark Gregory about his garden and the inspiration behind it.
The walled garden is a space to share, how did the idea of community shape your design?
The garden is about encouraging people to plant more vegetables in their gardens so that they can make the most of what they have. Vegetable gardens can be planted with ornamental flowers and edible flowers too, which is beneficial for biodiversity and pollinating insects. That’s good horticultural practice. Food also brings people together, and the experience of growing, cooking and eating within the same space reduces food miles, therefore saving carbon.How did you choose and source the materials?
All of the hard landscaping materials were chosen with sustainability in mind. “Made in Britain'' was one of the main components, along with a low carbon footprint. The Yorkstone has not been imported, and all of the mortars are made in the UK and are low carbon. The veranda and kitchen are made by British companies.What value do you place on circular design?
The materials used on the garden will be reused, either as a part of the garden’s relocation to two charities, or in other projects later on. The reclaimed bricks will be cleaned of mortar and used again. The trees will be returning to the nursery. We have worked hard to minimize wastage, even down to not having any single-use plastics within the garden.Trees, plants and flowers are central to the design, why is connecting with nature important?
Connecting with nature is so beneficial for Vitamin G and our mental health. There is something special about being able to grow and eat your own food as well. But planting ornamentals and even introducing areas of wilder planting, with nettles and other “weeds” is beneficial to pollinators and biodiversity. That’s horticulture. People and nature coexist in harmony. And that’s how it should be. This is a responsibility that should be shared, person to person and worldwide.There’s a space for cooking and hosting lunch in the garden, what does the idea of togetherness personally mean for you?
After all the events of recent years, entertaining family and friends in our gardens is so beneficial for our mental health and wellbeing – and really in my view, there’s no better way to get the most out of your garden than to grow your own veg and garnishes and cook it fresh – straight from plot to plate. Landform is an award winning landscape company.
Photography: Lesley Lau
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