Creating a beautiful border for BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair
This April Furzey Gardens is very excited to be creating a ‘Beautiful Border’ as part of the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair, 28 – 30 April.
With a ‘My Garden Escape’ theme, the border will be a relaxing space with elements that many of you will recognise from Furzey Gardens. Over the last couple of months staff, volunteers, trustees and people with learning disabilities supported by Furzey Gardens have all been working together, busy preparing the elements that will make up this beautiful space. Here we take a behind the scenes look at some of the preparations so far.
Garden design – ‘Not all those who wander are lost’
The ‘My Garden Escape’ theme is a perfect fit for the peace and tranquillity that many of our visitors look forward to during a visit to Furzey Gardens. Inspiration for the garden comes from the poem ‘The Riddle of Strider’ by J.R Tolkien.
‘All that is gold does not glitter
Not all those who wander are lost
The old that is strong does not wither
Deep roots are not reached by the frost’
The garden design, created collaboratively by our Head Gardener and Estates Manager includes plants that thrive at Furzey including Rhododendron sinogrande, shuttlecock ferns, hosta and Candelabra primulas. Cleverly intertwined with the planting and at the end of a stepping stone path, a grand chair carved from the trunk of an old Elm tree will stand quietly in one corner covered by a canopy of thatch. The chair was carved with a chainsaw by Maxie Lane, out of the same Elm tree that the Giant’s Table at Furzey Gardens was made from.
These elements represent the deep roots with local charity Minstead Trust who run Furzey Gardens and whose work supports people with learning disabilities to live independent and fulfilled lives. The design will mainly consist of plants and components that come from either Furzey itself or from Minstead Trust, therefore promoting a minimal waste ethos that is close to the heart of us all at Furzey Gardens and Minstead Trust.
Plants and shrubs waiting to be planted
Preparing the garden
All the plants have been sourced directly from the soil at Furzey Gardens and they will be returned to the gardens once the border is dismantled. From rhododendron shrubs to tiny primula plants, over the last few months the team, have been digging up plants from around the gardens. They have even taken a patch of wild orchid turf.
Early in March, a team of garden volunteers erected a bio-dome in the on-site plant nursery to house the collection of plants for the border, encourage early blooms and keep the plants safe from late frosts. Not all the plants that are being nurtured in the biodome will make it to the final garden as only the best specimens will be chosen.
Marc and Robert are just two of the people with learning disabilities who have been helping look after the plants, ready to be planted at the end of April.
Building the garden
The garden build will take place from 25 – 27 April when a team of gardeners and people with learning disabilities will have just three days to bring the garden design to life. Following this all the borders that have been created for the spring fair will be judged and the team will be patiently waiting for news of the results.
Sue, Marc and Robert who are part of the team who have been caring for the plants
Visit us at the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair
Alongside the garden will be a marquee where there will be a variety of plants available for visitors to the Spring Fair to purchase and take home for their own gardens. These plants have been potted and nurtured by people with learning disabilities in the plant nursery at Furzey Gardens.
Early in March, 18 people took part in a potathon, potting up over 500 shrubs and perennials in just two hours. Perennials such as cosmos, caryopteris, salvia and sidalcea as well as shrub like azaleas, cistus, crinodendron and buddleia were potted up ready for people to buy at one of our plant stalls over the coming season.
Also available in the marquee will be a selection of crafts created by people with learning disabilities in the workshops at Minstead Trust, plus a range of jams and chutneys made in the kitchens at Minstead Trust. If you are planning on visiting the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair pop along and say hello to the team – you can buy your tickets for the fair here https://www.beaulieu.co.uk/events/bbc-gardeners-world-fair-spring
Taking part in the potathon