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Kate Gould’s ‘Out of the Shadows’ Sanctuary Garden at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show demonstrates how stylish gardens can be designed around modern lifestyle demands. The small space features a swim-spa, climbing bars, a meditation space, a fire bowl and seating, all in the context of a luscious and minimalistic evergreen garden.
Many evergreen plants have quite dark leaves, so to avoid the garden looking too moody, I chose plants which have different structures and shapes to add texture.
Lots of evergreens are featured in the garden and many of these are palms and Cycads which will grow in temperatures that fall to below freezing for short periods of time.
Not only do these plants look majestic all year round, but they also look wonderful when lit up at night. This will give the garden a whole new feel as the light levels drop to dusk.
Evergreens have played a backbone role in gardens since the dawn of gardening. Greenery is the anchoring element in any garden and especially so in the winter.
We celebrate evergreens almost unconsciously now: Christmas trees and wreaths, for example, will brighten our homes at the darkest times of the year, so it makes sense that a garden only benefits from evergreens all year round.
Evergreens are also good to consider when it comes to being mindful about the environment as they improve air quality and provide a place for birds to nest even in the winter months.
It is easy to get very blobby and constricted with evergreens. By nature they are often quite dense, which means they can create brilliant topiary forms. Making sure the planting design is balanced is key to ensuring they shine.
That said, if you really want to go for it, then an all-evergreen garden with lots of clipped and contrasting shapes will establish a timeless look (albeit with a lot of clipping to do).
