A Sociable Urban Garden With Imaginative Plantings
This Chelsea Flower Show 2017 garden demonstrates the power of plants in a city environment
Garden designer Kate Gould is passionate about turning our cities green. And, as her gold-medal-winning creation for the recent Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show 2017 in London proves, you don’t need a huge space to make a big difference. The three-story construction of rusted metal, concrete and wood could conjure up a typically harsh exterior of an inner-city apartment, but some imaginative planting and the addition of seating, a water feature and an amazing illuminated wall turned it into a vibrant, sociable space.
Photos by Chris Snook
Garden at a Glance
Event: RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2017
Designer: Kate Gould
Prizes: Gold medal and award for best fresh garden
Consisting of a basement, mezzanine and top floor, the City Living garden brings plant life to areas that are often neglected. Besides showing how outdoor spaces can be made accessible in unexpected ways, the design also provides green corridors for wildlife, which are so valuable in urban areas.
In her eighth year at Chelsea, Gould again welcomed an opportunity to get her ideas seen and discussed by housing developers. “We should be thinking about doing more for our cities. There are lots of options — green walls, roof coverings — but a lot of them have to be built into the infrastructure of a new building, rather than added to old, just in terms of viability.”
Garden at a Glance
Event: RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2017
Designer: Kate Gould
Prizes: Gold medal and award for best fresh garden
Consisting of a basement, mezzanine and top floor, the City Living garden brings plant life to areas that are often neglected. Besides showing how outdoor spaces can be made accessible in unexpected ways, the design also provides green corridors for wildlife, which are so valuable in urban areas.
In her eighth year at Chelsea, Gould again welcomed an opportunity to get her ideas seen and discussed by housing developers. “We should be thinking about doing more for our cities. There are lots of options — green walls, roof coverings — but a lot of them have to be built into the infrastructure of a new building, rather than added to old, just in terms of viability.”
Raised beds containing orange Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’ and purple Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ segue into smart seating on the top level of the construction. “I would have loved to have used zinc cladding, but I had to think about my budget,” Gould says.
The screen, which looks like rusted metal, was designed by Gould and made from Cor-Ten steel. The same crisscross design appears on the stair treads leading up to this level, and the drainage gully on the basement level. Bright pillows and Yucca australis, at left, help create a tropical atmosphere in what could have been an austere space.
Pillows: Bristol Upholstery
The screen, which looks like rusted metal, was designed by Gould and made from Cor-Ten steel. The same crisscross design appears on the stair treads leading up to this level, and the drainage gully on the basement level. Bright pillows and Yucca australis, at left, help create a tropical atmosphere in what could have been an austere space.
Pillows: Bristol Upholstery
A pergola made from rusted scaffolding tubes provides shade and protects this area from being overlooked by neighbors. “The idea was that if you were next door to a taller building, this would offer you a degree of privacy,” Gould says.
Gould and her team constructed the entire building and gardens. “Without the greenery, the combination of steel, Cor-Ten and wood was really, really hard. But as soon as we added the plants, it all began to soften down,” Gould says. “It just shows that a bit of green can make a huge difference to people’s lives in cities.”
Each level of the imagined apartment block is planted differently. “The basement level is very sheltered, so you can get away with hardy, shade-tolerant tropicals. Up a level, it’s planted like a generically warm garden would be, and the top-floor roof terrace is planted for the sun,” she says.
Each level of the imagined apartment block is planted differently. “The basement level is very sheltered, so you can get away with hardy, shade-tolerant tropicals. Up a level, it’s planted like a generically warm garden would be, and the top-floor roof terrace is planted for the sun,” she says.
On the mezzanine level, shrubs such as Pittosporum tenuifolium block out an unappealing view and are a haven for insects and birds. The solid teak stools can also be used as sidetables.
Arbor stools: Gloster via Birstall Garden & Leisure
Arbor stools: Gloster via Birstall Garden & Leisure
Even a space underneath a stairwell was planted to create a green route to and from people’s front doors. The terrazzo panels on the stairwell are full of tiny little lights, which create a magical effect at night.
This part of the project was all done by hand. “The end result is amazing, but it did involve cutting up 3.8 miles of fiber-optic cable!” Gould says.
This part of the project was all done by hand. “The end result is amazing, but it did involve cutting up 3.8 miles of fiber-optic cable!” Gould says.
The basement level features the same crisscross Cor-Ten steel screen as the roof garden, and it gives the impression that it runs right through the building.
Gould chose a wide variety of plants and wasn’t limited by the size of the areas she was working in. “The tree ferns are always going to have big canopies, but it’s nice to have them in a small space because they play with the scale. If you just put lots of small things in a small space, it looks busy and even smaller.”
Gould chose a wide variety of plants and wasn’t limited by the size of the areas she was working in. “The tree ferns are always going to have big canopies, but it’s nice to have them in a small space because they play with the scale. If you just put lots of small things in a small space, it looks busy and even smaller.”
The raised beds are at different heights around the garden, which creates a more natural look. Gould used sustainably sourced bamboo decking on every level, including here in the basement.
Decking: Loknan Architectural
Decking: Loknan Architectural
Glazed white saw-toothed bricks lighten this area, add quirky texture and give the appearance of the side of a building. Aristolochia littoralis tumbles down the wall, softening the finish.
Bricks: Ibstock
Bricks: Ibstock
Anglepoise gave Gould a choice of color for this giant lamp, which is three times the size of the classic model and a brilliant way to play with scale.
“We picked the orange from a RAL chart, so we were able to match it to other pieces like the bench and crisscross drain gully.”
Original 1227 giant outdoor wall-mounted lamp: Anglepoise; porcelain floor tiles: CED
“We picked the orange from a RAL chart, so we were able to match it to other pieces like the bench and crisscross drain gully.”
Original 1227 giant outdoor wall-mounted lamp: Anglepoise; porcelain floor tiles: CED
This tiled area is bordered by an orange drain gully. “Rather than an ordinary black slot drain, we had one made with the same crisscross pattern that’s on the screens and the stair treads.”
Gould’s screen design can be seen again in the basement. This is her favorite level because of the hardy tropical plants here, including ferns, aspidistra and Xanadu philodendron.
“My default setting is generally green and lush — I find it quite restful.”
“My default setting is generally green and lush — I find it quite restful.”
Gould encourages building planners to look beyond the minimal “greening” requirements and think more imaginatively about ways to introduce plant life.
“I’m all for breaking up floors to create space for planting. Nothing has to be solidly paved over. People don’t necessarily need [6 ½-foot-wide] pavements,” she says
“I’m all for breaking up floors to create space for planting. Nothing has to be solidly paved over. People don’t necessarily need [6 ½-foot-wide] pavements,” she says
The saw-toothed bricks, used horizontally nearby, are laid vertically here to create a sculptural look in this tranquil area with a subtle water feature.
“Water actually trickles down the bricks into the trough below,” Gould says.
“Water actually trickles down the bricks into the trough below,” Gould says.
This is the larger of the garden’s two extraordinary green walls. “Normally, green walls are [one-third to one-half foot] deep. These are nearly [1⅔ feet] deep, which meant we could plant big things with room for proper root growth.”
The planting corresponds to the sun exposure of each level. “We’ve used shade-tolerant plants at the bottom working up to sun lovers at the top,” Gould says. Plants here include Melianthus major, schefflera and coral bells.
The planting corresponds to the sun exposure of each level. “We’ve used shade-tolerant plants at the bottom working up to sun lovers at the top,” Gould says. Plants here include Melianthus major, schefflera and coral bells.
Rather than overwhelming this area with lots of bright colors, Gould worked with plants with subtly different shades of green, including boxwood (middle) and Angelica archangelica (foreground).
“If a space is quite small, you can still make it really inviting by using different shades of green,” she says.
Nourish sculpture: Michael Speller
More
At the Chelsea Flower Show, a Jewel-Colored, Wildlife-Friendly Garden
A ‘Medieval Contemporary’ Garden Takes the Silver at Chelsea
Great Outdoor Living Ideas From the 2015 Chelsea Flower Show
“If a space is quite small, you can still make it really inviting by using different shades of green,” she says.
Nourish sculpture: Michael Speller
More
At the Chelsea Flower Show, a Jewel-Colored, Wildlife-Friendly Garden
A ‘Medieval Contemporary’ Garden Takes the Silver at Chelsea
Great Outdoor Living Ideas From the 2015 Chelsea Flower Show
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it leaves stains beneath in our 4 season climate. I'm told it's slows down over time.
Go plant power!