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2. Yards for Foraging
There’s something pleasingly wholesome about gathering plants from our own yards to use in the kitchen. The idea of weaving in less common edibles is gaining popularity, and several designers at this year’s show incorporated varieties that are safe to eat.
The Whittard of Chelsea garden, seen here, designed by Ollie Pike for the esteemed tea company, featured numerous plants with leaves, petals and hips perfect for infusions. These included river birch (Betula nigra, USDA zones 4 to 9; find your zone), which has vitamin-rich leaves; ‘Our Beth’ rose (Rosa ‘Beacarol’, zones 6 to 9); and tea plant (Camellia sinensis, zones 7 to 9).
The Woodland Trust “Forgotten Forests” garden by Ashleigh Aylett contained plants with edible berries, flowers and leaves.
The Eden Project “Bring Me Sunshine” garden (see next photo) by Alex Michaelis and Harry Holding was inspired by a coastal town in northwestern England and wove edible plants that thrive in salty sea air, such as sea kale (Crambe maritima, zones 5 to 9), into soft plantings.
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4. Wild Urban Spaces
Bringing some of the health benefits of the wilderness to busy urban lives was another trend seen across the show. The most striking example of this was the Fettercairn Wilderness Retreat balcony garden (pictured) by ssh scapes — Sonia Kamel, Sally Giles and Helier Bowling — and inspired by the wild landscape of the Scottish Cairngorms mountains.
This small urban space was designed for a busy professional couple “who love the outdoors and, in particular, the Cairngorms in Scotland, and want to recreate the environment for daily health benefits on their high-rise city balcony,” according to the RHS.
At the heart of the space was a copper bath perfect for a cold-water dip, which was surrounded by wild planting reminiscent of the grassy heaths, rocky outcrops and mossy glens typical of the area.
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A defining theme at Chelsea is that we should optimize our outside spaces, regardless of size. The show provided several uplifting examples.
The Cleary Gottlieb “Time for Creativity” garden by Christina Cobb championed the idea of dedicating space to hobbies, free of distractions. A walk-through greenhouse featured books and craft materials — including paper, paints, fabrics and threads — inviting visitors to choose an activity as they passed through to a table and chairs. Flowers surrounded the seating area, shaded by a multistem weeping common hornbeam (Carpinus betulus ‘Pendula’, zones 4 to 8).
All five balcony gardens, measuring around 6½ by 16 feet (2 by 5 meters), packed in interesting details and activities. These included “A Little Garden of Shared Knowledge,” which reflected a lifetime of learning, travel and mentorship. Similarly, the “Tales From the Riverbank” showcased outdoor living with a Big Green Egg grill standing ready to cook the homegrown harvest.
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