Coolings are really proud to be medal winners at this years RHS Hampton Court Flower Show. If you have not had a chance to get to this years show have a look at our garden.
Following on from the success of our Centenary year in 2013, when we at Coolings celebrated our first 100 years in business, we wanted to mark the start of our next century in style! In our one hundred and first summer we now look to the future and have commissioned a Show Garden at the prestigious RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show (8-13 July) to celebrate this vision.
The Show Garden is the creation of one of our own Coolings College lecturers, Alex Lindsay BA Hons, GD Dip. As well as running popular design courses at Coolings, Alex is also a successful designer in his own right. His design, “The Next 100 Years”, is based on radiating concentric circles and incorporates plants grown on our own Nursery here in Knockholt.
Alex Lindsay and Coolings have created an interesting take on the traditional method of planting borders from front to back, by planting in bands that radiate out from the centre of the garden and circle around the visitor. This amphitheatre effect creates a calm and welcoming space that celebrates the Kent countryside and reflects the company colours of Coolings.
The structural planting has been inspired by the work of the French designers Groupe Signes (especially their Thames Barrier park design), and the sculptural elements have been inspired by Alex’s background in art and his study of modernism.
The show garden was a Bronze Medal Winner in the first year Coolings have exhibited at RHS Hampton Court.
Planting list
Perennials
ACA Acanthus hungaricus
AGA Agapanthus African queen
AST Aster x frikartii ‘monch’
ART Artemisia absinthium
ARU Aruncus diocus
HOS Hosta rectifolia ‘royal standard’
LUP Lupinus polyphyllus
NEP Nepata ‘six hills giant’
SCA Scabiosa columbaria
SAL sq Salvia sylvestris ‘snow queen’
SAL ts Salvia x sylvestris may night/ pratensis ‘twilight serenade’
SED Sedum purple emperor
SIS Sisyrinchium striatum
VER Verbascum phoenicium ‘temptress purple’
VIO Viola ‘molly sanderson’
Grasses
MIS Miscanthus sinensis ‘adagio’
PEN Pennistum villosum
Shrubs
BER Berberis thunbergii ‘orange rocket’
COR Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’
EUO Euonymous fortunei
ILE Ilex crenata
LAV Lavandula Stoechas
ROS Rosmari officianalis
Trees
SOR Sorbus aria lutescens whitebeam