Chelsea Flower Show 2017: Beneath a Mexican Sky

This bold , exuberant garden , with its walls washed with tincture of clementine , coral and coffee cappuccino , is enliven by the study of Mexican Modernist architect Luis Barragán . Manoj Malde has brilliantly captured the essence of Barragáns brutal - yet - smart panache in a garden that beg to bask beneath a beating sun . It might , perhaps , be a garden to dream of rather than one to animate at home : the planting demands topnotch - dry conditions and the colours require strong luminosity to make them sing . However , the design ’s simple layout and generous seating area will appeal to anyone who hanker for modern-day invention and architectural planting .

In contrast to the bright walls , the concrete deck of cards balance elegantly over an invite syndicate is nerveless and fluid . I am not a buff of a grey , but here the colour works absolutely with the silvery foliage ofAgave parryivar.truncata , Agave amercianaand beautiful , felty - leavedKalanchoe behariensis . Manoj believes it is the first time that a designer has used this unusual Madagascan industrial plant , also knowns as velvet elephant ’s ears , in a Chelsea garden . The mixed bag ‘ Fang ’ has an Award of Garden Merit from the RHS and unpredictable jaggy protrusions on the bottom of every leaf .

Another first for the show is a specimen ofAgave parrasanawhich has grow a 4 m high prime spike bang on pool stick for opening day . The American aloe ’s candelabrum - like anthesis , which has emerged from a thickset rosette of succulent , grey leaves , wo n’t be casting much shade . That job is left to a ok , multi - stemmed hemangioma simplex tree ( Arbutus unedo ) which raise bloom beloved by bees and fruits that can be used to make electronic jamming and liqueurs .

Luis Barragán like to create line using shadow . In this intent another succulent , this clock time a cactus , Stenocerus marginatus , is underplanted with the pop Mexican Pulicaria dysenterica ( Erigeron karvinskianus ) . Set against a wall paint in a delicious shade of taupe , the cactus appear coolheaded than a cuke .

For blossom buff there are plenty of flush in scorching colours , including purple bearded iris ‘ Modern Woman ’ and ‘ Serene Moment’,Cleome hassleriana‘Violet Queen’,Baptisia‘Blueberry sundae ’ , orangeCosmos sulphureusand almost blackCosmos astrosanguineus .

Manoj Malde was born in Kenya and trained as a fashion designer , working in the industry for nearly twenty year , before retraining in garden design . His innate sense of style is manifest in every detail , from the planting , to the colourful cushion stage on the sexual love seat and finally Rupert Till ’s equine sculpture , which reference Barragán ’s love of horses .

A solitary agave set against rough-rendered walls washed with eye-popping colours (photo, Jonathan Buckley)

At night , Beneath a Mexican Skyis smartly alight so that the plants create interesting shadows as darkness falls . The two hemangioma simplex Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree are under - lighted , visualize shadows from the multi stemmed trunks onto the precious coral and clementine tree walls . Agaveparrasanaand the organ cactus , Stenocerous marginatus , are lit from the side so that their light upon architectural forms make dramatic Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe . The elucidation lend the garden a cosy pink glow , supplement by six drinking glass storm lanterns domiciliate in rectangular niches . The water in the pool is lit from under the grey cementum steps , concealing the wanton source and draw the bright turquoise cement that lines the puddle shine invitingly .

So what can we take from this garden ? The anatomical structure and layout could certainly be replicated in a traditional , rectangular suburban plot of land blessed with a cheery view . The consortium might be traded for lawn or a section of paving in a contrasting colour if water supply was not practical . To achieve anything resemble the planting one would require exceptional drain or raised bottom and some masking for the American aloe in winter . This could be managed by supporting flat solid of plastic over the rose window or by lifting the plants and bringing them into a brightly lit conservatory . The colour combinations are gorgeous , demonstrating the versatility of argent - Second Earl Grey leafage plants . I particularly like red coral , fuchsia , violet and silver-tongued - grey association , but also the mixture of clementine , turquoise and lilac .

If all that sound a bit much , then this probably is n’t the garden for you . The root might be to move to Spain , Portugal or , indeed , Mexico where the climate would be ideally become to this mode of garden . As for medal candidate , it ’s rare for an exotic garden like this to win gold , but it ’s all in the particular and the judges may yet be swayed by the craftsmanship and plantsmanship . My money ’s on ash grey gilding . Regardless , this is a cracking launching from a garden designer who has the style and confidence to bring a taste of Mexico to our murky city .

Sit back and relax on this love seat by the Italian furniture company Roberti (photo, Jonathan Buckley)

Tomorrow I will be at the show , taking my own picture . Those let in in this spot were taken by the very talented Jonathan Buckley . If you look out for me , I ’ll be the one in the helianthus print shirt with a lady in Black person . Do stop me and say hello . TFG .

PLANT LIST

Arbutus unedo(multi - stem)Kalanchoe beharensisKalanchoe beharensis‘Fangs ’

Aeonium arboreum ‘ Zwartkop’Agave americanaAgave attenuataAgave parrasanaAgave parryi var truncataCistus‘Silver Pink’Draceana dracoFascicularia bicolourPuya coeruleaSalvia greggii‘Royal Bumble ’

Festuca amethystinaMelinis nerviglumisMuhlenbergia capillarisCarex testacea

Kalanchoe beharensis‘Fang’ AGM, (photo, Jonathan Buckley)

Baptisia‘Blueberry Sundae’Beschorneria tubifloraCentaurea montana‘Jordy’Dianthus cruentusErigeron karvanskianusEuphorbia cyparissias‘Fens Ruby ’

Gaura lindheimeri ‘ blushful Jane’Gaura lindheimeri‘Sisikiyou Pink’Hesperaloe parvifloraLinaria‘Canon ’s Went’Salvia africanusSalvia Indigo‘Spires’Salvia officinalis‘Purpuascens’Tulbaghia violaceaTradescantia sillamontana

Cosmos sulphureus(orange)Cosmos astrosanguineusEschscholzia californicaEschscholzia californica‘Red Chief’OsteospermumSeseli elatumsubsp.osseum

Beschorneria tubifloraandPuya coeruleabeneath one of the strawberry trees (photo, Jonathan Buckley)

Bulbine frutescens‘Hallmark’Echeveria‘Blue Prince’Echeveria glaucaSedum sediformeSenecio serpensTillandsiaStenocereus marginatus

lay aside

Like this:

Categories : Beautiful Strangers , Chelsea flower show , Flower appearance , Flowers , Foliage , Garden Design , London , Perennials , Photography , plant , Tropical Gardens

Posted by The Frustrated Gardener

Stenocereus marginatusandHesperaloe parvifloramake a striking pair (photo, Jonathan Buckley)

Baptisia‘Blueberry Sundae’ (photo, Jonathan Buckley)

Luis Barragan had a great passion for horses and riding. In 1976, he built the San Cristobal Stable, Horse Pool and House – the pool was for the horses to swim in (photo, Jonathan Buckley)