Planting with Trees, Hillier Garden Centres & Nurseries

Planting with Trees

Sponsor: Hillier Garden Centres and Nurseries
Designer: Andrew McIndoe

Visitors will be asked to open their eyes to the beauty of trees at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show by exhibitors Hillier Garden Centres and Nurseries. Hillier are aiming to demonstrate the sheer beauty and versatility of trees in garden design and once again the garden plans to be another medal winning stunner.

Hillier will be using trees from their nurseries in Hampshire to demonstrate the ease with which trees can be incorporated into garden design in situations from naturalistic settings to formal urban gardens.

Vast structural specimens will appear alongside heavenly ornamental foliage varieties. Trees will be shown individually and in groups. Low ivy screens front tall slender trees around a central water feature by Mehrdad Tafreshi. To the right will be a contemporary courtyard with trees planted in containers backed by tall ivy screens, clearly demonstrating how trees can be designed into gardens of all sizes.

Importantly, the garden demonstrates to gardeners that trees can and should be incorporated into gardens. Andy McIndoe’s design incorporates interest at ground, eye and above eye level, respecting the conditions of dappled to dense shade that planting with trees determines.

Key trees which will be featured include Betula utilis var, jacquemontii, the lovely Prunus maackii 'Amber', Prunus serrula, The Tibetan Cherry and Quercus ilex, Holm/evergreen Oak.

The importance of trees as a way of combating climate change is not overlooked either and the exhibit will surely stimulate us all to seriously consider finding more space for trees in our gardens from now on.

Hillier have an unbroken record of Gold Medals at Chelsea since 1945 and occupy the largest site around the Monument in the Great Floral Pavilion. In designing the site, Andy McIndoe (Hillier’s Deputy Managing Director) has drawn inspiration from numerous gardens, not least from the Sir Harold Hillier Arboretum near Romsey.

Andy's new book, 'Planting with Trees' co-written with his wife Rosamond, is reviewed in our book review section. Don't miss it and don't miss the Hillier stand at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show – it never disappoints.