This is a commissioned post in collaboration with Stihl
This is one of those weeks where I feel ridiculously lucky to do my job. Flower Show season is in full swing, and earlier this week I spent a fabulous day at RHS Chelsea Flower Show as the guest of premium garden tool brand Stihl. I was given an exclusive tour of the Stihl Hillier Garden, and was able to explore it in all it’s glory. Such a great opportunity!
Stihl produce a wide range of quality garden products including lawnmowers, chainsaws, pruners, blowers and pressure washers. This is the second year that they have partnered with Hillier at RHS Chelsea; last year’s gold medal winning ‘Stihl Inspiration’ garden was designed by Chelsea’s most decorated designer, Sarah Eberle, and this year she has worked on the Hillier garden as mentor to designer Lilly Gomm.
The inspiration behind the Stihl Hillier Garden
Lilly joined us on the garden, which was a brilliant opportunity to discover how it was inspired, developed and created. She is obviously hugely passionate about her job and thrilled with the garden.
Here’s what Lilly has to say about her design for the Stihl Hillier Garden.
“I was keen to create a design which is vibrant and interactive yet remained contemporary…. The plants are the stars of the garden and I have created a backdrop with a palette of delicate, contemporary colours that allow them to stand out. This is where contemporary meets tradition. The water feature will encourage people to linger and look down to see the plants and then up to view the trees.”
Exploring the Stihl Hillier Garden
This really is a beautiful garden, but it’s also very practical. There are two generous seating areas, the paved areas flow smoothly around the garden, and everywhere you look there are glorious plants framing your view.
The fabulous water screens are a central feature and are visible from all aspects of the garden. They form the backdrop to both seating areas, providing an atmosphere of calm. I love the way they act as a fluid window onto yet more beautiful planting.
Plants are very much front and centre in this design, which is to be expected from a Hillier garden. They’re absolutely stunning, with a flow of colour from whites into bright pinks, oranges and purples. It’s wonderfully immersive.
There’s a clever blending of traditional planting that you’d expect from Hillier, with contemporary design and form. Lilly Gomm has merged the two to great effect, creating a very lush, immersive garden that you could easily imagine transporting into your own outdoor space.
The Still Hillier Garden won a gold medal, and I’m not at all surprised. Lilly Gomm really has succeeded in creating a design where contemporary meets tradition to stunning effect. It’s a beautiful garden that feels above all like a celebration of plants, which is always going to be a winner in my book.
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show runs until Saturday 25th May. If you can’t make it to the show, it’s well worth following the #RHSChelsea hashtag on social media or tuning into the BBC TV coverage for lots of lovely garden inspiration. What’s been your highlight from this year’s show?
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I attended RHS Chelsea Flower Show as a guest of Stihl. All comments and opinions are honest and genuine.
A gorgeous post Catherine, it was such an inspiring visit.
It really was! My garden wish list is a lot bigger now 😉