Chelsea Flower Show 2019 – The Harmonious Garden of Life

Category: Award-Winning Gardens

How can gardens help regenerate our ecosystem in response to global warming, pollution and depletion of resources?

This garden, designed by Laurélie de la Salle, encourages positive interactions between the four kingdoms (minerals, vegetables, animals and humans). The four elements (air, earth, water and fire) to create balance in joint synergy for our environment. The garden is composed of a pergola with a swing – a relaxation space – located in a dominant position. Human energy provides a swinging motion, which pumps water up to the filtering plants before it flows into the canal and back to the pond. This creates a regenerating process, producing calming ripples while purifying the water.

Although simple in its layout, this thought-provoking garden has been created to be environmentally sustainable, linking the four elements and each bringing positive benefits to the earth. Requiring less water and maintenance than grass, the clover lawn also naturally fertilises the soil through its nitrogen-fixing properties. A solar panel powered pump circulated water for the pond and filtered through a trough of Iris and volcanic stones. Through an oculus in the limestone wall can be seen a tall, dome-topped terracotta beehive said to be healthier and move natural home.

Pond & Garden constructed by Aquamaintenance Ltd, G.K Wilson Landscaping Services and Bespoke Outdoor Spaces, achieved a silver medal in Chelsea Flower Show 2019

Photography by Wendy Aiken