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Sadolin Nature to Nurture Garden

NATURE TO NUTURE: BRINGING THE COUNTRYSIDE INTO YOUR GARDEN
HOW TO CREATE A NATURE INSPIRED GARDEN

If you’d like a garden that’s more free-form than formal, then why not take inspiration from The Sadolin Nature to Nurture Garden, which has just scooped a Gold medal at the 2009 Hampton Court Palace Flower Show?

Philippa Pearson in her garden at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show

Designed by Philippa Pearson (pictured above), and brought to life by landscaper Marc Patrick of Garden Care Contracting, this contemporary garden celebrates the bringing together of nature and formality, finding the enchanting middle space between countryside and cultivation. The result has been a wonderfully relaxing garden that is easy to maintain and perfect for entertaining or family time.

Taking centre stage and creating a tapestry of colour across three square ornamental beds, is some naturalistic planting, which uses tall plants such as Sanguisorba tenuifolia ‘Pink Elephant’, Lilium regale and Alium sphaerocephalum for a transparent, ‘see through’ effect.

Further natural elements are added through the extensive use of wood, the meadow-style planting around the boundaries of the garden, plus the incorporation of bee and insect-friendly plants such as Corn Marigolds and Field Poppies. The impressive decked garden building, meanwhile, offers a fabulous vantage point over the garden and ensures structure and interest all year round.

Pearson says of her design: “I have spent most of my life in the countryside and am continually inspired by the richness of nature around my home. I was keen to create a garden that captured this beauty, but also showed how it could work and be maintained within the context of a modern, family garden. Having worked closely with patients at a hospital garden in Fulbourn, Cambridge, I was also interested in the way that these natural elements could be used to create a space that was relaxing, restorative and above all reinvigorating.”

Want to bring the countryside into your garden? Then why not follow these six steps to a nature-inspired garden?

  1. Attract some wildlife
    Always include bee/ insect friendly wild flowers to help create a safe haven for wildlife. Plants such as Corn Marigold, Corn Cockle, Camomile, Cambridge Milk Parsley, Field Scabious, Field Poppy, Greater Knapweed, Ox Eye Daisy, Ragged Robin, Teasel, along with meadow turf are ideal for attracting insects, with the added benefit of helping to ensure good pollination of flowers.
  1. Bright blooms with natural wood
    If you opt for bright blooms in your planting scheme, natural wood tones will act as the perfect foil – don’t try and squeeze too much colour into the garden. Opt for wood shades when treating fencing, decking and garden furniture.
  1. Learn from the randomness of nature
    Don’t feel like you have to stick to the ‘rules’ when it comes to designing your nature inspired garden. Take a soft, natural approach and work with what’s already there to create your own meeting point between nature and nurture.
  1. Grass pathways
    Hard landscaping may take away from the natural feel you’re trying to achieve. Try opting for an alternative to concrete or paved pathways and experimenting with grass, which will give the overall design a much softer feel.
  1. Embrace sustainability
    Take the opportunity to introduce elements of sustainability into your garden. Take inspiration from the living sedum roof on the garden room in the Sadolin Nature to Nurture Garden, which will offer an undisturbed rooftop habitat for wildlife as well as offering a reduced environmental footprint. You can also opt for nature friendly products – such as Sadolin woodstain. Sadolin works in partnership with The CarbonNeutral Company to reduce all carbon dioxide emissions created during the manufacture and distribution of its products to net zero through counter balancing these emissions in global verified offset projects.
  1. Mix and match
    Sometimes the most beautiful gardens offer a contrast of styles. Setting nature inspired planting and colourways against more formal elements, such as geometric planting beds and a modern garden building, will bring out the best in both styles.

Get the look

Sadolin Garden Furniture Oil'
Sadolin Garden Furniture Oil - Works with all types of wood to nourish, protect and resist greying

Sadolin Decking Stain and Preserver (in Natural)
Sadolin Decking Stain and Preserver (in Natural) - A stain and preserver which protects against the damaging effects of the weather

Sadolin Classic (in Natural)
Sadolin Classic (in Natural) - Sadolin’s most versatile product providing tough weather protection from the elements and excellent durability

Sadolin Four Seasons Garden Furniture Colour & Protector (in Whisper)
Sadolin Four Seasons Garden Furniture Colour & Protector (in Whisper) - Offers year-round colour and protection from the elements with a tough finish

Sadolin would like to thank the following for their help with this gold-medal winning garden

Philippa Pearson, www.philippapearson.co.uk
Marc Patrick & team at Garden Care Supplies, www.ourgarden.co.uk
Plants people:
www.crocus.co.uk
www.wildflowers.co.uk
www.deepdale-trees.co.uk
www.inturf.com
Arcangel, www.arcangelmetalwork.co.uk
Champion Timber, www.championtimber.com
Tiga (Europe), www.tigaeurope.co.uk
John Lewis (Kingston branch)