Debut designer Manoj Malde has taken inspiration from the work of Mexican architect Luis Barragan to create a garden that merges Mediterranean style with country cottage planting. The garden is sponsored by Inland Homes & Living Landscapes and the plants are supplied by Kelways Plants.
Q&A with the garden designer, Manoj Malde:
When did you first start working on the original design and how long did it take to perfect?
The thought process and little sketches started in October 2015. I wasn’t even sure at that point that I was going to submit the design. I would say it took approximately 6-8 months to perfect.
What are the stand out features of this particular garden?
The colour washed walls, the planting scheme which I believe is quite different from what is the norm at Chelsea, the pool, the zinc micro-cement steps and the copper sculpture by Rupert Till.
Did the sponsor provide a detailed brief? If so, how did you interpret this within your design?
As it is my first garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show I had to get my initial design down on paper to be able to show prospective sponsors. As an unknown at Chelsea finding a sponsor has been the hardest part of the process. I was lucky that Inland Homes Plc, one of my clients, not only agreed to sponsor me but also gave me free reign on the design work
What is so special about having a show garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show?
Chelsea is the pinnacle of the horticultural calendar. It is the Haute Couture of the gardening industry. Designers who showcase a garden at Chelsea are going onto the world stage as the show has such a diverse and international clientele.
How do you hope the public/visitors will perceive this garden?
I hope that this garden will encourage the public to be bold with use of colour in their garden. I also hope that it will encourage international clients to use some of our very talented home grown designers.
Q&A with the contractor, Living Landscapes:
What are you looking forward to most about building this show garden?
I am looking forward to the challenges in constructing such a complex build in the time we have available. The garden has many special components which interact with each other.
What’s going to be the biggest challenge on the build?
Getting the micro-cement finished. There are so many factors controlling this, the weather being one of the biggest challenges during the build.
Are specialist contractors required for any elements?
Yes, for a variety of elements. The metal trays are being fabricated by Outdoor Design. Their expertise in the field of bespoke metal fabrication has been invaluable in creating our structure. Topcrete are the specialist installers of the micro-cement product we are using.
If you could take one thing away with you from this garden, what would it be?
The trough water feature in the pool. For this to work I would also require the pool!
Do you think the judges have enough knowledge of the complexity of construction when deciding on the medals?
This is an interesting question. I am aware of more landscapers going through the judging process so this is a good thing. I believe the judges should have access to the construction drawings so that they can judge on the basis of what has been built against what is being shown. This is similar to the judges seeing the brief. If the judges do not have access to this information they are taking the landscaping work on face value. The quality of the contractor stands out in their preparation and construction, not just on how the final surfaces look.
Stephen Wicks, CEO of Inland Homes, said: “We pride ourselves on being environmentally-friendly and are conscious of making our landscapes sustainable. We’ve won awards for including eco areas, habitat trails and children’s play spaces into our developments. Sponsoring ‘Beneath a Mexican Sky’ reflects our commitment to improving the environment which we all live in.”
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