Year on year, the Chelsea Flower Show reminds us of the beauty of gardening, inspiring us with innovative garden designs, trends, and ideas, as well as stunning floral displays. This year’s show, however, urges us to look beyond the aesthetics, to appreciate the restorative power of gardens and gardening. Whether it’s in terms of helping the environment, improving an individual’s health and wellbeing, or supporting our wildlife, there is no doubt about gardening’s potential for renewal, and this is showcased in many of this year’s show gardens.
Given this year’s Chelsea Flower Show theme, we thought it’d be worth a reminder of the restorative power of gardens, plus some handy tips and advice, because it’s easy to forget that gardening is more than about creating visual appeal. Gardens and gardening can be both beautiful and beneficial, and that is just one reason why we love what we do here at Ornamental Trees.
Gardening to support declining pollinators
Choose a range of trees & shrubs for multi-seasonal support, & let wildflowers grow
Bees and other important pollinators are in decline so it is no surprise that many of this year’s show gardens are placing an emphasis on pollinator-friendly gardening. The good thing is supporting pollinators doesn’t need to be difficult. Make sure you’ve planted a few pollinator-friendly trees or shrubs (look out for the RHS Plants for Pollinators symbol when you’re doing your garden shopping). There are many options, but try to choose a range of plants for providing support in each season.
For winter support we recommend: Viburnum tinus, Cornus mas (Cornelian Cherry), Witch Hazel
For spring support we recommend: Cercis siliquastrum (Judas Tree), Ceanothus thyrsiflorus repens (Californian Lilac), Malus Marble (Crab Apple)
For summer support we recommend: Sorbus aucuparia (Rowan), Cornus alba 'Baton Rouge' (Dogwood), Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia' (False Acacia)
For autumn support we recommend: Arbutus unedo (Strawberry tree)
In recent years we’ve also seen a lot of emphasis placed on rewilding, which is a theme that continues into this year’s show—the Centrepoint Show Garden, for instance, which depicts a derelict building slowly being enveloped by nature, embraces this wild look. The Centre for Mental Health’s The Balance Garden adopts a similar look, with wildflowers flourishing in between slabs of concrete. Letting your garden go a little bit wild is one of the easiest ways to support declining pollinators (in fact, it couldn’t be easier, as the very essence of it means you don’t need to do anything). Take inspiration from the No Mow May campaign and leave a portion of your lawn unmowed to let wildflowers grow and boost the pollen count in your garden.
Choose trees that tackle the causes & effects of climate change, as well as fruit trees for extra environmental benefits
Very much linked to the support of wildlife is the power of gardening in helping the environment more generally. It is a well-known fact that trees help the environment by removing excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but with so many varieties to choose from, it can be difficult to know what to plant. A good option is to opt for a tree or shrub that deals with both the causes and effects of climate change. The Hamptons Mediterranean Show Garden, for instance, chooses drought-tolerant plants such as Italian Cypress and Golden Irish Yew, which can both cope with the warmer weather brought about by climate change.
Choosing to plant a fruit tree, like an apple or pear tree, is another excellent option, as it provides all the environmental benefits of a regular tree and more. Growing your own produce means less visits to the supermarket, fewer food miles and a reduced carbon footprint (not to mention free fruit for life)! Edible gardening is a recurring theme at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, due in part to the recent supermarket fruit and vegetable shortages, as seen in the Savills Garden and the School Food Matters Garden.
Gardening to awaken the senses & embody mindfulness
Turn your garden into a multi-sensory experience for practicing mindfulness & improving mental wellbeing
This year’s Chelsea Flower Show reminds us of the power of gardening to improve our mental health. The St George ‘Alight Here’ Balcony Garden, for instance, is designed for the young professional living in London, as a green oasis for escaping the stresses of modern city life. While simply tending to trees & plants is proven to reduce cortisol levels (stress hormones), you can take it one step further by incorporating multiple senses into your outdoor space. Bringing awareness to your senses is a key method for achieving mindfulness which intersects perfectly with gardening. Indeed, at this year’s show we’re seeing more gardens that offer a multi-sensory experience beyond just pleasing visuals. Awaken your senses by incorporating flowing water for sound, and plant tall trees with a light, leafy canopy for basking in dappled sunlight. Stimulate your sense of smell with scented trees—opt for Bay Laurel for a delicate, aromatic scent, Cytisus battandieri 'Yellow Tail' (Pineapple Broom) for pleasant notes of pineapple, or Wisteria sinensis 'Prematura' (Chinese Purple Wisteria) for a delectably sweet fragrance akin to grapes.
Gardening to improve health, fitness & physical wellbeing
Don’t begrudge garden chores—they’re doing your body some good
It is always worth a reminder that gardening does us the world of good on a physical level, as well. It is considered a moderately intense form of exercise as you can burn about 330 calories doing one hour of light gardening. It’s also good for the heart—you might consider raking autumn leaves a thankless chore, but 30-45 minutes of it can go a small way to helping prevent and control high blood pressure. On a similar tangent, this year’s show draws our attention to the rehabilitative and healing power of gardens and gardening for those with physical illnesses. Horatio’s Garden, for instance, is designed as a space for recovery for those with spinal injuries, and is accessible from a bed or wheelchair. By creating a beautiful, natural space that is the antithesis of a clinical hospital environment, it inspires a frame of mind in patients that is more conducive to the healing process.
