The Woodland Trust: 49% Garden

Since 1850, the Uk has lost a staggering 49 percent of ‘trees outside woods’, owing in large part to Dutch elm disease and ash dieback. This garden aims to highlight the efforts being made to address this issue through The Woodland Trust’s UK and Ireland Sourced and Grown (UKISG) scheme, which encourages everyone to plant UK-grown trees.

The design paints a romantic picture of the English countryside. An Acer campestre (field maple), Alnus Glutinosa (black alder) and Crataegus Monogyna (hawthorn) form a steady and shade-providing backbone through the space. Loose, naturalistic planting is in a calming palette of green and white with blue and purple accents, and features pollinator friendly species and an abundance of air-oxygenating mosses.

The designer hopes that, through this space, visitors will be encouraged to plant native and UK-grown trees, and diversify the species planted to help enhance resilience against both disease and our changing climate.

At a glance:

Who is this garden for?
A conceptual garden for the public.
Where is the garden set?  
The south-facing garden is situated in a rural location in England, forming part of a larger privately owned estate in the English countryside.
Who or what is the design inspiration?
Drawing on ideas from the picturesque movement, the garden seeks to capture the romantic essence of the English countryside. By evoking the nostalgia of a perfect day outdoors, it aims to open the public’s eyes to the importance of preserving TOW trees.

Key sustainability points

• The soft landscaping will be relocated to a green-flag-awarded community woodland garden in Bedfordshire, King's Arms Garden, where it will be reconfigured to suit the mature space.
• Less than 10% of the garden is hard landscaping.
• Stone sourced locally to the show.
• Key elements such as lights and pumps will be loaned from suppliers.
• All major suppliers are located within 95 miles of RHS Tatton to reduce carbon emissions.