Tag Archive for: garden

‘The Subaru Cocoon’ Garden to be unveiled

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‘The Subaru Cocoon’ Garden to be unveiled: Subaru UK & Ireland is set to unveil ‘The Subaru Cocoon’ garden at the prestigious RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2025, which runs from 1st- 6th July.

The installation, created by award-winning designers Mike McMahon and Jewlsy Mathews of Mike McMahon Studio, with the Subaru Cocoon Garden reflecting a sculptural, sensory refuge, inspired by the UK and Ireland’s vanishing temperate rainforests.

'The Subaru Cocoon' Garden to be unveiled

‘The Subaru Cocoon’ Garden to be unveiled

Once covering 20% of Britain, these lush, biodiverse ecosystems have now dwindled to less than 1%, making them one of the UK’s most threatened habitats. The Subaru Cocoon draws attention to this quiet crisis, reimagining the traditional walled garden as a sanctuary of both protection and ecological memory.

The display will sit in a prominent position within the historic grounds of Hampton Court Palace. The six-day festival is expected to welcome over 140,000 horticultural enthusiasts to the Palace gardens in west London for a celebration of garden designs, floral displays, and a wide range of other family-friendly activities.

Lorraine Bishton, Managing Director at Subaru UK & Ireland said: “The Subaru Cocoon’ garden at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival supports our commitments to safety and sustainability, whilst showcasing this beautiful, but threatened native habitat.

We know our customers also have a strong connection to nature and are engaged with initiatives that raise awareness of environmental responsibility.

We are delighted that following the show, the garden will provide a legacy supporting the inspirational charity Horatio’s Garden.”

The Cocoon garden reflects Subaru’s commitment to sustainability, care, and considered movement – values shared across both brand and garden installation. Just as Subaru supports responsible exploration through electric innovation, with the zero-tailpipe emission, all-wheel-drive Subaru Solterra, the garden offers a place of refuge that treads lightly on the land. Both prioritise harmony with the natural world. At their core, they both share a quiet belief in elegant, considered design to live better, prioritising awareness and beauty while simultaneously minimising unwanted impact.

The Subaru Cocoon Garden features a striking curved Jali wall – a perforated architectural screen that honours co-designer Jewlsy Mathews’ South Indian heritage – made from 4,500 innovative Kenoteq K-Briqs. These revolutionary building materials are manufactured from over 95% recycled construction waste and emit 95% less carbon than traditional fired bricks. The Jali wall doubles as a super-sized ‘insect hotel’, its porous structure supporting microhabitats across the site. By using sustainable bricks, the garden project has diverted 9.45 tonnes of construction waste from landfill and saved 1,972 kg of CO₂ emissions – equivalent to the amount of CO2 80 mature trees would absorb over a full year. This innovative approach to biodiversity follows Mike McMahon Studio’s RHS Chelsea Gold Medal-winning garden in 2024.

In lieu of a traditional walled garden door, a reflective water threshold —a symbolic cleansing—leads into a cool, immersive landscape of texture and shadow. Cantilevered fallen tree trunks hover dramatically above the wall, planted with native epiphytes in a bold interpretation of the forest’s “chop-and-drop” cycle, where decaying wood returns nutrients to the soil. The planting scheme features exclusively native species from the UK and Ireland, including thirteen species of fern, Silver Birch, and Scots Pine, structured in forest-like layers to celebrate the rich biodiversity of Britain’s temperate rainforests.

Mike McMahon of Mike McMahon Studio said: “The UK and Ireland’s temperate rainforest is a landscape that’s both ecologically rich and tragically overlooked – something we wanted to highlight with the Subaru Cocoon Garden. This type of installation has never been created at Hampton Court Palace before; it felt like the right moment to highlight the fragile epiphytes and micro-ecosystems that thrive in these endangered environments.”

“The garden is enveloped by a circular brick jali wall that frames the plants, plays with light and shadow, and invites you to look through and around, like you’re glimpsing through trees. Sustainability isn’t an add-on, it’s embedded in every decision we’ve made, from using zero concrete to ensuring all elements are reusable or relocatable once the show ends.”

As part of Subaru’s commitment to sustainability, the garden will be given a second life after the festival with plans to repurpose it to Horatio’s Garden charity, ensuring the installation continues to inspire and provide a place to nurture the wellbeing of people beyond the event.

For more information on the Subaru range, including the all-electric Solterra, visit www.subaru.co.uk

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Green-tech’s donation to Gold Medal-winning Garden

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Green-tech’s donation to Gold Medal-winning Garden: Green-tech is proud to have supported the Garden of the Future at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025 by donating its Green-tree soil substrate, helping bring a powerful vision of climate-resilient horticulture to life.

Designed by Butler & Parker and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Garden of the Future received a prestigious Gold Medal at this year’s show. Constructed by Acacia Gardens, the thought-provoking installation explored sustainable living and resilient planting in the face of climate change, demonstrating how collaboration and innovation are key to supporting communities across the globe.

Green-tech's donation to Gold Medal-winning Garden

Green-tech’s donation to Gold Medal-winning Garden

Set in a near-future UK, the garden imagines a world where the climate is continuing to change. Where countries are experiencing higher-than-average temperatures, more extreme weather, periods of drought, and sudden, heavy rainfall. Designed to thrive in these conditions, the bio-diverse garden featured an array of climate-resilient ornamentals and crops, edible plants with multiple uses and properties, and tools that demonstrate how farmers, scientists, and communities are innovating to grow a healthier future here in the UK and globally.

Green-tech’s Green-tree soil substrate played a vital role in this climate-resilient landscape, providing a stable and sustainable growing medium for the garden’s structural planting and biodiverse scheme. Developed to offer high performance in urban and rooftop environments, Green-tree substrate was an ideal match for the garden’s semi-intensive, biosolar roof system, which was constructed with the support and donations from GRO (Green Roof Organisation) member businesses, including Green-tech.

Mark Wood, Business Development Director at Green-tech, comments, “We were proud to donate our Green-tree soil substrate to such an inspiring and important show garden. The Garden of the Future aligns closely with our values of supporting sustainable landscaping, futureproofing urban green spaces, and promoting climate resilience through innovation.”

The garden enabled visitors to understand the science and research behind these innovations, the challenges and solutions being developed by smallholder farmers, and what countries like the UK can learn from countries living on the frontline of climate change.  By showcasing global innovators and their solutions, the Garden of the Future aimed to inspire visitors to believe in the power of innovation and collaboration to transform human potential around the world, as well as offering take-home ideas for growing plants in a more sustainable, climate-resilient way.

Alongside Green-tech, other GRO members who contributed to the biosolar roof system included Bridgman & Bridgman, PV Plus, TEP, Optigrün, Diadem, SIKA, Radmat, and Wraxalls.

To learn more about the Garden of the Future, visit www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-chelsea-flower-show/gardens/2025/garden-of-the-future

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Webb Launches High-Performance Garden Shredder

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Webb Launches High-Performance Garden Shredder: British garden machinery brand Webb has expanded its electric tools portfolio with the introduction of the WEISWB Electric Garden Shredder – a high-performance 2500W impact shredder designed to make garden waste reduction fast, safe, and efficient.

Ideal for medium-sized gardens, the shredder combines robust cutting power with a compact, user-friendly design. Its 2500W motor drives steel blades at an impressive 4500rpm, effortlessly handling branches up to 45mm in diameter. The result is fine, nutrient-rich mulch that’s ideal for composting or improving soil quality in flowerbeds and vegetable plots.

Webb Launches High-Performance Garden Shredder

Webb Launches High-Performance Garden Shredder

“This is a strong addition to the Webb range and perfectly timed as consumers increasingly seek electric garden tools that deliver performance without compromise,” says Mark Moseley, Sales & Marketing Director at Handy. “The WEISWB has been developed to support garden clearance across seasons, providing a dependable and commercially attractive solution for our retail partners.”

Featuring a practical design, the WEISWB includes a 40-litre collection box to minimise downtime, a removable hopper for easy feeding, and a large on/off switch for straightforward operation. For added safety, a locking lever prevents access to cutting components during use, while built-in overload protection automatically cuts power if the machine becomes jammed.

Portable, with large integrated wheels, the shredder is easy to move and store, making it a smart choice for gardeners with limited space. Suitable for beginners or experienced garden enthusiasts, the WEISWB offers a reliable, low-maintenance solution for year-round garden clearance.

Retail-ready with eye-catching packaging and full POS support available, the WEISWB is available now for trade orders.

To learn more about the Webb range or to purchase at trade pricing, visit: https://webbgardenpower.co.uk/become-a-webb-stockist/

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Origin Enterprises acquires Elixir Garden Supplies Ltd

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Origin Enterprises acquires Elixir Garden Supplies Ltd: Origin Enterprises plc (’Origin’ or ‘the Group’), the international group shaping the future of sustainable land use, today welcomes the acquisition of Elixir Garden Supplies Ltd (“Elixir”), a UK-based industry leader in online gardening supplies.

Established for over 35 years’, Elixir has extensive expertise in fertilisers, feeds and garden care, delivering the essentials customers need in a fast-growing market segment. Offering a focused product range, the company has built a reputation for quality, expert customer support and a highly responsive supply chain — dispatching up to 20,000 orders across the UK each week, 90% of which are own-brand sales.

Origin Enterprises acquires Elixir Garden Supplies Ltd

Origin Enterprises acquires Elixir Garden Supplies Ltd

Elixir’s successful direct-to-consumer model further strengthens Origin’s expanding portfolio within its Living Landscapes division representing further progress towards the Group’s target for this division to deliver 30% of Group operating profit by the end of FY26. The acquisition enhances Origin’s ability to serve both professional and home gardening customers through a fully integrated supply chain, from raw material through to end user — a competitive advantage that sets Origin apart in the market.

TJ Kelly, Divisional Managing Director of Living Landscapes, commented: “Elixir Garden Supplies is a strong addition to the Origin family, which both complements our existing portfolio of businesses and accelerates our ability to serve the fast-growing online garden care market. By combining Elixir’s direct-to-consumer platform with Origin’s manufacturing scale and supply chain strength, we are positioned to deliver superior product ranges, value and service to customers throughout the UK.”

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Historic Houses launches 2025 Garden of the Year Award

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Historic Houses launches 2025 Garden of the Year Award: The Historic Houses Garden of the Year Award 2025 has kicked off, with eight beautiful gardens competing to be named the Garden of the Year in a public vote. The award, launched in 1984 and sponsored by Christie’s auction house, has gone from strength to strength since then, with tens of thousands of votes cast in recent years.

Shortlisted entries are chosen from among the hundreds of gardens, parks, and grounds that offer free entry to members of Historic Houses, the association that represents and supports the UK’s independent historic homes, castles, and gardens. Details of this year’s eight finalist gardens can be found below. Voting is open now on the Historic Houses website.

Historic Houses launches 2025 Garden of the Year Award

Historic Houses launches 2025 Garden of the Year Award

Ben Cowell, Director General at Historic Houses, said: “This year’s shortlist shows the variety on show across England’s finest gardens. They range from the historic grandeur of Arundel Castle to the bluebells and wildflower meadows of Hole Park. Hestercombe blends Georgian formality with Edwardian charm, while Iford Manor offers Italianate terraces and tranquil vistas. At Lowther Castle, a planting scheme has taken over the ruins, while at Penshurst Place visitors can enjoy 11 acres of Elizabethan gardens. The walled gardens at Raby Castle have recently had a complete makeover, while Wollerton Old Hall delights with intimate garden rooms and exquisite planting. Each of our shortlist offers a unique journey through history, beauty, and seasonal splendour.”

Ursula Cholmeley, Chair of the Historic Houses Gardens Committee, said: “There is such a wonderfully diverse range of gardens in the UK under independent ownership, and this annual award is a great opportunity to recognise and reward the hard work that goes into the upkeep of these gardens, from both the owners and full gardening teams. This year’s shortlist showcases the natural beauty up and down the country, with eight impressive gardens.”

Orlando Rock, Chairman at Christie’s UK, said: “As proud supporters of this wonderful initiative since its inception in 1984, we always look forward to this time of year with great anticipation. The announcement of the nominations aligns perfectly with the arrival of spring, a season that reflects renewal and beauty. Each garden in this year’s nominations offers a unique vision, brimming with creativity and elegance. We invite everyone to explore these breathtaking gardens and cast their votes for their favourite. Best of luck to all the nominees, and may the gardens continue to inspire us all. “

About the eight competing gardens

Arundel Castle Gardens, West Sussex

Set high on a hill, Arundel Castle commands the local Sussex landscape with magnificent views across the South Downs and the River Arun.

The extensive 38 acres of gardens and landscape provide visitors with beautiful floral displays throughout the spring, summer, and autumn months, with wonderful specimen trees within the landscape and an immense variety of plants throughout the gardens.

https://www.historichouses.org/house/arundel-castle/visit/

Hestercombe Gardens, Somerset

Hestercombe Gardens, located near Taunton, spans 50 acres of quintessential Somerset beauty and showcases four centuries of garden design. Visitors can explore the Georgian Landscape Garden from the 1750s, the Victorian Shrubbery, and the Edwardian Formal Gardens, crafted in the early 1900s by Sir Edwin Lutyens with planting schemes by Gertrude Jekyll, offering a rich and varied horticultural experience.

Through meticulous research and conservation efforts, Hestercombe Gardens Trust have brought back the gardens to their original splendour, blending historical accuracy with enduring beauty.

https://www.historichouses.org/house/hestercombe-house-and-gardens/visit/

Hole Park, Kent

Hole Park is an extensive, private family garden of rich variety set in classic English parkland. Created after World War I in the style of an Edwardian gentleman’s garden, it has evolved into a wonderful blend of the formal and informal thanks to the dedicated vision and care of four generations of the Barham family. Standout features include extensive Yew topiary, herbaceous borders; sweeping lawns with fine specimen trees, ponds and pools, and a magnificent walled garden.

The gardens are centred around a beautiful Georgian house with spectacular views of the surrounding parkland and hills of the High Weald National Landscape.

Historic Houses website

Iford Manor Gardens, Wiltshire

Tucked away at the bottom of a tranquil valley, the garden at Iford is historic and has evolved over many generations of passionate private gardeners, most famously landscape architect Harold Peto who made Iford his home 1899-1933.  He took a Georgian terraced garden and developed it further, building on Mediterranean as well as Japanese influences, with statues, colonnades, rills and ponds gracing the terraces.

By 2025, Iford will have been on a 60-year restoration journey, over two generations. Thought lost after the war, the structural recovery was undertaken by John and Elizabeth Cartwright-Hignett. William & Marianne Cartwright-Hignett encountered a new generation of challenges when they took over in 2016. They have recovered and restored many areas, extending and enhancing in the process.

https://www.historichouses.org/house/iford-manor-gardens/visit/

Lowther Castle, Cumbria

When Lowther Castle & Gardens Trust recruited a garden designer to take on the sleeping beauty that the gardens then were, their brief was clear: the gardens should not be restored as such; instead, the gardens should see layers of the new and layers of the old side by side.

The resulting gardens at Lowther Castle are amazing. They take the formality of the seventeenth century, the pseudo romance of the neo-Gothic, the extravagance of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, and blow them all up – in consequence presenting ideas that are novel and striking and bold.

https://www.historichouses.org/house/lowther-castle/visit/

Penshurst Place Gardens, Kent

The formal gardens at Penshurst Place have records dating to 1346, though their formal structure didn’t begin to take form until the 1560’s, when Henry Sidney divided the area into “rooms” to grow fruit trees.

Today the thriving formal Gardens are divided into eleven distinct rooms which cover a variety of styles including herbaceous borders, renaissance-inspired box hedging, water features, statues and patterns. Visitor highlights include the 100-metre long Peony Border which features four varieties of pink peony, the Union Flag Garden which uses a selection of roses and lavender to create the Union Flag, and the bright vivid colours found along Jubilee Walk.

https://www.historichouses.org/house/penshurst-place/visit/

Raby Castle, Park, and Gardens, County Durham

When 12th Lord Barnard inherited Raby in 2016, he and Lady Barnard commissioned award-winning designer Luciano Giubbilei to join them on a journey of reimagination. The result opened in June 2024; a transformation & ingenious re-thinking of its distinctive spirit. Historic features from red-brick walls to mature yew hedges blend perfectly with new additions, a grass amphitheatre, mazes & graceful rill.

Described by the 4th Duchess in 1870 as “A never-failing delight”, the walled gardens have enchanted visitors for centuries. Evolving to embrace innovation, nurture an ever-increasing variety of plants, and respond to global changes, the most recent transformation sees the garden grow into the 21st century with a graceful, contemporary reimagining.

https://www.historichouses.org/house/raby-castle/visit/

Wollerton Old Hall Garden, Shropshire

Designed by Lesley and John Jenkins, the garden is set around a Grade II* sixteenth century Hall and has developed into an important modern garden in the English Garden tradition with echoes of Arts and Crafts. Covering three acres, it consists of a series of 14 linked garden “rooms” filled with modern and often specialist plantings.

The carefully managed successional planting ensures that each season has its appeal to visitors. The early months of the year are awash with drifts of anemones, erythroniums, snowdrops, trilliums and hellebores and dotted with bursts of colour from scilla, corydalis, muscari and tulips. The summer months are filled with the scent of roses, delphiniums, dahlias and phlox.

https://www.historichouses.org/house/wollerton-old-hall-garden/visit/

About the Garden of the Year Award

For over forty years the public have voted one of Historic House’s member gardens their favourite of the year. The award, run in conjunction with Christie’s, has gone from strength to strength since then.

Shortlisted entries are chosen from among the hundreds of gardens, parks, and grounds that offer free entry to members of Historic Houses, the association that represents and supports the UK’s independent historic homes, castles, and gardens.

In addition, the panel will make a second, direct, award to a garden they consider embodies excellence on a smaller scale, either of area, staffing, or access, and hence has less opportunity to influence the popular poll – known as the Judges’ Choice Award.

Each winner holds the crown for the whole of the following year – the sought-after title can considerably boost visitor numbers, really putting the garden on the map.

Further information about the Garden of the Year Award can be found here.

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