Chelsea Flower Show 2017

View photos of Chelsea Flower Show 2017

Simon Gudgeon has created a state-of-the-art sculpture garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2017.

Following the enormous success of his last two sculpture gardens at the Royal Horticultural Society’s 2015 and 2016 Chelsea Flower Show, leading British contemporary sculptor Simon Gudgeon has this year created his most inspirational and challenging sculpture garden to date.

Sited on the Show’s prestigious Main Avenue, opposite show gardens created by the world’s top garden designers, Simon Gudgeon’s sculpture garden stand unveils several major new life-sized pieces including Firebird and Leaf Spirit. The sculpture garden is split onto two levels and as well as new pieces, Simon’s stand also includes life-sized sculptures, a garden water wall, planting tailored to each of the unique sculptures on display and a bespoke indoor area to house his smaller sculpture work.

Firebird was inspired by working with principal ballerina Ksenia Ovsyanick . The sculpture has been fabricated from over 1500 bronze feathers, each one individually shaped and welded in place. Along with Firebird, the other major outdoor sculptures are each integrated into a planting scheme designed by his wife Monique. The planting has been created to give each piece it’s own space and frame, complementing it and showing visitors to the stand the importance of art in the garden and how sculpture can be incorporated into a landscape setting.

In past years, the planting scheme has focused on foliage plants rather than flowers, allowing leaf shapes and effects to reflect features found in the sculptures. However, for 2017, Monique has relied much more on colour to highlight the beauty of the patination to be found on the different works of art. The palette features pastel colours with highlights of dark blues and purples in the sunnier parts of the garden, whilst white provides a linking theme throughout each of the different planting areas. Evergreens still feature strongly and provide a backbone to the main bed; leaf shapes and foliage effects predominate in the shaded parts of the sculpture garden. To soften the oak pergola that forms the chief structure in the garden, wisteria, roses and evergreen climbers will scramble over the main parts of the frame.

Simon’s stand won the Five Star Trade Stand Award, the highest accolade a trade stand can win.

Site Number: MA330

 

Artisan Gardens

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission: Centenary Garden by David Domoney features Portland Stone. The Centenary Garden is accessed through an imposing circular arch and the Portland stone steps lead to a raised platform offering a view over the garden as a whole. To the front are multistemmed trees, the canopy of which provides an area for quiet contemplation. Globe-headed flowers nestled in the floral landscape of silver, mauve and blue hues remind us of fallen soldiers.

Medal: Silver
Site number: AR564

 

Adrian Gray Stonebalancing

This is Adrian’s fourth year at the show.

The stones he uses are so heavy he uses a support to stabilise the middle stone while balancing the third stone on top – then he removes the support and the sculpture remains in place.

Site number: FR90
Award: 5 star

 

Flower Arranging

Angela Turner, Ferndown
Category: Flower Arranging 1st Session
Medal: Bronze
Site Number: FA112

 

Trade Stands

Backdoorshoes©, Christchurch
Site Number: EA456

Burgon & Ball Ltd, Poole
Site Number: CW310

Fantails, Swanage
Site Number: PW256

Kiraku, Shaftesbury
Site Number: SR11

Plankbridge Ltd, Dorchester
Site Number: AR586

Plooms, Gillingham
Site Number: EA447

Robert James Workshop Ltd, Bridport
Site Number: SR38

Sally Mackness – Artist, Christchurch
Site Number: EA487

Sitting Spiritually Ltd, Lyme Regis
Site Number: RHW295