By Sarah Price. Surrounded by still, reflective water and fresh, naturalistic planting, The QVC Garden is a replenishing space of calm beauty. Blending architectural form with rural inspiration, natural elements and modernist design combine to create a tranquil space for intimate relaxation, quiet reflection and rejuvenation.
Light, steel structures create subtle frames and points of alignment directing views into the garden. Sited within this framework, an overhanging stone platform and sunken seating area offer an uplifting space for the senses, reaffirming connections to the surrounding calm water and abundant stylised meadow.
Fragmented, stacked and machine-sawn stone, rammed earth walls, and an etched tinted mirror form a warm, muted backdrop to a fresh palette of lime green foliage and creamy-white and yellow flowers.
Accents of dusky pink Astrantia, Sanguisorba and aubergine foliage of Anthriscus sylvestris 'Ravenswing' provide further tonal counterpoints.
A base palette of grasses is blended with umbellifers to simultaneously provide harmony and contrast in form. This 'meadow mix' forms a compositional overlay of parallel repeats running through the garden. Multi-stemmed Malus species introduce height, and further framing to this abundant composition.
Planting list:
Nectaroscordum
siculum subsp. bulgaricum
Angelica
archangelica
Anthriscus
sylvestris 'Ravenswing'
Aquilegia
vulgaris var. stellata 'Black Barlow'
Aquilegia
chrysantha 'Yellow Queen'
Aquilegia 'Kristall'
Aquilegia vulgaris
'Altrosa'
Astrantia major
'Claret'
Astrantia
major subsp. involucrata 'Shaggy'
Atriplex hortensis
var. rubra
Camassia
leichtlinii 'Semiplena'
Cenolophium
denudatum
Deschampsia
cespitosa
Dianthus
carthusianorum
Dianthus superbus
Digitalis purpurea
f. albiflora
Euphorbia palustris
Euphorbia
polychroma
Filipendula ulmaria
'Aurea'
Foeniculum vulgare
Foeniculum vulgare
'Purpureum'
Geranium phaeum
Geranium phaeum
'Album'
Geranium phaeum 'Lily
Lovell'
Geranium
pyrenaicum 'Bill Wallis'
Geranium sylvaticum
'Album'
Hesperis matronalis
Hesperis
matronalis var. albiflora
Inula magnifica (for
foliage)
Iris 'Sibirica Alba'
Iris sibirica 'Eric the
Red'
Lunaria
annua
Luzula nivea
Milium effusum 'Aureum'
Myrrhis odorata
Papaver
orientale 'Black and White'
Sanguisorba
menziesii
Symphytum 'Rubrum'
Thalictrum
aquilegiifolium