RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Plants in The Glasshouse Garden

The planting colours are inspired by the notion of ‘strong beauty’ and are in a palette of deep red, muted pinks and purples, as well as some softer pale peaches and apricots to create a unique colour palette for which designer Jo Thompson is well known

Rosa ‘Tuscany Superb’ – rose Tuscany Superb (gallica)

Rosa ‘Tuscany Superb’
Rosa ‘Tuscany Superb’

Roses have been chosen for their colour – ‘Tuscany Superb’ has a beautiful rich magenta-red colour. Deliciously fragrant, double, deep crimson-maroon flowers with closely packed petals in summer and dark green leaves. This gorgeous Gallica rose is probably a sport of ‘Tuscany’, which it is very similar to but less bushy and a little taller. A superb rose for a shrub border where it will look lovely planted alongside deep purple flowering plants and foliage.

Rosa ‘Charles de Mills’ – rose Charles de Mills (gallica)

Opulent, fully double, fragrant, magenta-pink flowers with closely packed petals in July and mid-green leaves. This gorgeous, old Gallica rose is ideal for a mixed or shrub border or grown as an informal, flowering hedge. Upright and arching in habit, it performs best in fertile, moist, but well-drained soil in full sun.

Rosa ‘Charles de Mills’
Rosa ‘Charles de Mills’

Betula nigra – black birch

Betula nigra
Betula nigra

Betula nigra give height to balance the pavilion structure, their light canopies allow light to filter through and create a feeling of being nestled within nature without feeling too enclosed. Also, their bark has a wonderful texture and picks up on the peachy-apricot colours in the scheme.

“The garden includes many fabulous roses, which form the basis of the colour scheme. There are Fagus sylvatica ‘Atropunicea’ domes, which give a contrast in form and create structure, a dark leaved Bergenia and some large, statuesque Angelica archangelica.”

Jo Thompson, garden designer

Astrantia ‘Burgundy Manor’ – masterwort

Astrantia ‘Burgundy Manor’
Astrantia ‘Burgundy Manor’

Astrantia ‘Burgundy Manor’ is a key plant, with the deep burgundy colour flowing through the garden. Holding a prestigeous Award of Garden Merit by the RHS, ‘Burgundy Manor’ is a strong-growing masterwort, that produces an abundance of rich burgundy coloured summer flowerheads, each laced with hints of softer pink and greenish white. Attractive to pollinating insects and good for cutting, it’s also ideal for adding a bit of oomph to the colour scheme in the border.

Deutzia × hybrida ‘Strawberry Fields’ – deutzia strawberry fields

The design team love flowering shrubs and have used Deutzia x hybrida ‘Strawberry Fields’, which is an old favourite many people will be familiar with. It is a fantastic shrub for colour, scent, and wildlife, it can be planted in sun or part shade, and works in most soil types.

Deutzia × hybrida ‘Strawberry Fields’
Deutzia × hybrida ‘Strawberry Fields’

Osmunda regalis – royal fern

Osmunda regalis
Osmunda regalis

There are a number of different ferns in the garden, from the finer leaved Adiantum pedatum to the large, regal Osmunda regalis -–to provide great texture and depth in the shady areas.

Plant lists are provided by the designer of the garden as a guide to the plants they hope to use in the Garden based on the time of year, the location and the Client Brief. The plants that feature at the Show depends on a variety of factors such as weather during the growing season and availability. While the designers try to update lists where possible, the accuracy of the list cannot be guaranteed.

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