GPL wins Silver-Gilt medal at RHS Tatton Park Flower Show

The Designer

I was born and raised in Liverpool. I was creative from a young age having been inspired by a family of gardening enthusiasts. The garden was always the go-to place for family gatherings. It was a place for enjoyment, sharing in the fun of gardening, for growing fruits and vegetables and of course, a large selection of roses! I was encouraged into gardening by my Dad and Grandad.

I studied Architectural Technology at University in Newcastle which is when I developed a keen interest in landscape design and I went on to practice at a multi-disciplinary consultancy in County Durham. I also have a keen interest in the conservation of the historic landscape following the completion of a Masters in Historic Environment Conservation at The University of Birmingham when I initially set up my own consultancy.

In 2017, I expanded my business encompassing Landscape Design. My ‘down to earth’ gardening and plantsman skills have been honed over many years and ever since I discovered my love and enthusiasm for creating and cultivating gardens, I spent a great deal of time increasing my horticultural knowledge. I have an eye for detail and design that fits sympathetically into the environment. I specialise in designing sensory gardens for enjoyment, fulfilment and wellness and have a range of diverse clients in the residential, commercial, education and professional sectors. 

In 2019, I was immensely proud to be awarded a Gold Medal at Southport Flower Show.  My garden design ‘Every Breath is Precious’ aimed to raise awareness of pulmonary fibrosis, a debilitating and life-limiting condition. The award-winning garden was designed to highlight and support the work of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Trust.

The Contractor

Mustard Seed Gardens is a landscape construction company, based in Merseyside. Established in 2018, Mustard Seed Gardens have progressively built up a strong reputation in the North West area. Doing so, solely with a dedicated focus on the client’s needs, and a consistently high standard of work.

Business owner, Jonathan Myers, recognises the need for collaboration between the client and the design team. Allowing for the vision to be realised before his team of expert landscapers lift a spade to the ground.

Jonathan states “Building a beautiful garden is just one part of the journey. The team at Mustard Seed dedicate themselves to each project in a way that they can provide the client with the best possible experience, from concept to completion.” 

Building their first RHS show garden in 2021, the team from Mustard Seed Gardens are thrilled to be a part of this prestigious event. They would like to thank Gardens by Peter Lloyd for the fantastic opportunity to partner him with Breathe Easy, a brilliant design for the Mindfulness Garden category.

The future of the landscaping industry is exciting, and Jonathan is seeking to develop his team into RHS stars of the future. Working with industry leaders, a generation of passionate landscape professionals are being expertly equipped with knowledge and a genuine passion for building gardens that will last a lifetime. Many of their gardens are providing a place of sanctuary for all those who enter its gates, now and in the future.

The “Breathe Easy” Garden

The focus of the ‘Breathe Easy’ garden at RHS Tatton Park in 2021 is mindfulness. The design aims to offer sanctuary and tranquillity in which to meditate and retreat from the pressures of everyday life. Focusing on your breathing is a key part of mindfulness and meditation. Mindfulness has received a great deal of media attention. It is easy to get caught up in everyday life, without stopping to notice much. Giving more care and attention to the present moment, especially our inner thoughts, feelings and surroundings, can enhance mental wellbeing. 

The Covid-19 pandemic has increased the importance of quality outdoor spaces which are essential to people’s physical and mental wellbeing. The garden aims to provide an area for communities to retune and destress from everyday life, giving them an opportunity to practice mindfulness, for them to feel healed and in a good state of health and wellbeing. The garden focuses on sensory and cognitive issues. The garden is also intended for those affected by illness so that they can easily access the garden and enjoy the space and be fulfilled.

Garden & Planting

The garden design, called Breathe Easy, is a space for relaxation, retuning and meditating. As mindfulness and meditation both focus on breathing, two large flower beds have been designed in the shape of lungs. The central passage between the beds is sunken from street level. One ‘lung’ contains naturalistic planting including perennials and grasses while the other contains edibles and herbs. These raised beds offer spaces for visitors to sit, harvest produce and maintain the garden.

There is a combined pinks, purples and violets to create a harmonious feel to the garden. The boundaries, raised beds and edging materials are reclaimed timber sleepers. Socially distanced seating is provided to assist in mindfulness practice.

Plant List

Naturalistic Border, Achillea ‘Terracotta’ , Verbena Bonariensis, Cosmos atrosanguineus (chocolate cosmos), Echinacea pallida Eryngium, Stachys ‘Hummelo’, Astrantia, Rudbeckia Cherry Brandy, Salvia turkestanica / patens, Stipa capillata, Pennisetum villosum, Stipa gigantean, Echinacea Fatal Attraction, Stipa Tenuissima, Imperata Cylindrica Red Baron, Pennisetum Orientale Karley Rose, Imperata cylindrical, Carex Bucanini, Lavandula angustifola, Scaabiosa perfecta, Perovskia, Astilbe ‘Visions in Pink’, Silver seed awns ,Monarda ‘Beauty of Cobham’, Digitalis, Wood Sage, Hypericum Hidcote/hydrangea paniculata, Geranium phaeum album.

Raised Herb Bed

Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary), Origanum Vulgare (Wild Marjoram), Allium schoenoprasum (Chive), Allium senescens (German garlic), Salvia officinalis (Sage), Thymus Porlock (Thyme), Santolina rosmarinifolia (Cotton Lavender), Petroselinum crispum (Parsley), Hyssop, Thymus doone valley, Lavandula angustifola (Lavender), Pelargonium attar of roses, Chamaemelum nobile

Tree

Silver Birch

The Sculpture

The ‘Piece by Piece’ sculpture is designed as a jigsaw piece and each piece of mosaic artwork within it tells a story of the journey the Stroke survivor took towards recovery. The Merseyside Stroke Association supports numerous independent social groups, and the Association is seen as the unit …the big picture if you like. 

Within this unit are the independent social groups represented by a ‘jigsaw piece’ and the groups are made up of members who are Stroke survivors. Each member has their own unique story to tell and is represented by the individual images within jigsaw piece, using the art of mosaics as a therapy tool to benefit physical and cognitive development and repair.

A) HALF VEILED FACE… Rose woke up in hospital after her Stroke and after a while through shear willpower and determination (she is a force to be reckoned with and such a sweet lady) she found that she was able to ‘see the light’ again and described it as if a veil was being lifted from her face, although not completely recovered she chose to represent her journey for the project depicting a face half visible and half covered to remind herself she has more steps to take on her journey. Rose is affected by aphasia due to her Stroke but her coping mechanism is to sing… and when she does you wouldn’t even know.

B) ART… what an artist, Roy is part of the Art group and is always on hand to help his fellow creatives’. He uses his Art as therapy to give himself his ‘Me Time’ and it has helped him enormously. He is a testament that Art as a therapy works and work well.

C) DEBBIE… Debbie’s journey is represented by the ‘Tree of Life’. It contains so many facets of her journey to recovery and each element she has used within her design has it’s own mini story. While taking part in the ‘Mindfulness exercise’ which was stage one of the project using Zen Doodles Debbie realized she wanted to create her own template and use items that she had collected along her journey within her piece. This became a labour of love for her and she couldn’t believe how much she needed this project in her life. She would work on her piece outside of the group at home as it gave her purpose and peace. Her finished design is at the centre of one of the sides of the sculpture as it depicts just what Mindfulness can achieve.

D) METAPMORPHOSE… Linda chose a butterfly to use to represent the change in her life. As a caterpillar changes from one state to another she felt this was an excellent analogy to depict her journey. Within this image she also wanted to show the human side and decided to include two faces opposite sides to each other in symmetry and as one which is how she felt her life had been affected by the stroke. The same person as the whole but two sides to herself that others couldn’t see.

E) THE PHOENIX… The phoenix is self-explanatory but applied to so many of the Stroke survivors in the group which is why it is at the top of the sculpture. This member felt reborn when he was at the awakening of his realization that life after Stroke can be positive and fulfilling. He too uses Art as a therapy in his recovery and is a valued member of the group.

F) THE GOLF CLUBS… Golf was a major part of this members life before Stroke and he was actually on a golfing holiday when his Stroke happened. The project was about ‘Mindfulness’ non-conscious expression and when he approached this task he immediately was drawn back to when his Stroke hit. He found acceptance within himself by challenging the event and took solace that he was controlling his emotions by putting his thoughts into solid form and it became something he was proud of an achievement even that he was a survivor and remembered the good times he had playing golf not just it’s association to his Stroke.

G) NIGHT & DAY… This piece reflects the emotions and state of being this member had when Stroke happened to him. One moment he was living a life full of hope and sunshine and the next he was in darkness. This piece was important for him to as it helped him reconcile that the two cannot exist without the other and as one night fades another day dawns and it gave him clarity as to his understanding that life goes on.

H) HOPE… Hope, we all aspire that this will always win out against the arduous of times, when our backs are firmly against the proverbial wall. Members all agreed that this word meant the most to them and sits on the top of the sculpture on the opposite side to the Phoenix.
This is also important for the group as the center that they hold their weekly meetings at is called the ‘HOPE CENTER’.

This project on ‘Mindfulness’ allowed every member of the group to reflect on their life before, during and after a Stroke and it became apparent that as individuals they were all valued pieces of one unit, the bigger picture, that they connect and are SURVIVORS OF STROKE… and much more.

Breathe Easy Legacy

The ‘Breathe Easy’ garden will be gifted to the NHS after the show. The Walton Centre, formerly known as the Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery, is a major neurology hospital located in the suburb of Fazakerley in the city of Liverpool.