With the start of the 2024 Chelsea Flower Show this week, our Head Gardener Erika Haeggmann was inspired to write a blog about the culmination of her team's winter project at our Distillery Garden.
She writes.....
Over winter and spring, we have been working on a project to improve the aesthetics at the entrance to the Garden. With last year’s decision to close the nursery business we were left with display structures that didn’t entice our visitors into the garden to explore. The display tables that used to be at the entrance to the garden and glasshouse have now been removed. We loved the flowing and winding structure and wanted to reflect that organic flow, so we decided to keep the edges of the tables and lower these to the ground to act as edging to borders. What seemed like a challenge turned out to be easy once Jack put his mind to it!
January and February were devoted to creating the foundations of the beds, and March and April have seen us filling the beds with soil as well as planting and sowing. Now finally, it’s out of our hands and the plants are taking over. In order to create year-round interest, we decided to plant a mix of grasses, herbaceous perennials and sow a meadow mix with annual flowers. The grasses will look great in late autumn and winter, the chives add colour in early spring and the meadow mix and the flowering perennials will keep it looking beautiful from June until the frosty mornings of autumn claim the more tender annuals.
We are looking forward to seeing it in full bloom later this season! In the border you will be able to spot chives, nepeta, oregano, mallows, cornflowers and wildflowers which is in tune with the rest of the garden. Some of the plants in the borders are used in the gins or can be used as garnish for cocktails. It is a perfect introduction to the whole site.
In the photo above you will also be able to see that the glasshouse has been given some recent TLC. Jack again removed tables along the east side of the glasshouse and built beds in their wake. These beds are now planted with herbs and flowers that can be used as cocktail garnishes. Or just to get a taste of different mints and thymes as you pass, that’s what we gardeners do! Mojito, ginger, apple and chewing gum mint can be found here, as well as garden and lemon thyme, black violets, hyssop and other fun plants to try.
At the same time we have also given our glasshouse some much needed TLC. Jack again removed tables along the east side of the glasshouse and built beds in their wake. These beds are now planted with herbs and flowers that can be used as cocktail garnishes or for salads. Or just to get a taste of different mints and thymes as you pass, that’s what we gardeners do! Mojito, ginger, apple and chewing gum mint can be found here, as well as garden and lemon thyme, black violets, hyssop and other fun plants to try. We hope it will add an interesting stop for our tours - especially if the weather is inclement!
Much of the new planting will find its way into our luxury premium gins from London Drys to our unique garden inspired flavours.
Why don't you come and visit us soon?
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