Construction drawings

The plan (above) shows the interplay of the wall, seat, path and colourful ribbon. I have designed the curved wall (shown below here flattened out) to resemble the tree trunks in a woodland. For the Chelsea design I have been asked to use a Bradstone product called 'Panache' so I have used an edging section vertically, made in brown tones to evoke the look of woodland.

Below is an artist impression, followed by a more precise drawing where I am working out the quantity of a green wall idea. Here I am using 'Bod Pave' with a very shallow planting depth of just 40mm. This is usually used to protect ground surfaces from heavy traffic, so it is a bit of an experiment, but a test sample is looking good. The top of the curve is to be planted and will continue down to ground level through the path and into the planting to show a continuous flow of line. Panache is also used for the paving where a simple grid is cut to a curved path.

Chris and I meet up to look through my ideas for the ribbon sculpture, technical drawings and design development. He provides lots of good practical advice so that I feel able to answer the points raised by the RHS panel. I send off wall and seat construction drawings, new plan, artist impression and am later pleased to here that I am allocated a place on Royal Hospital Way at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2012.  

Planting and design development

The woods near my home is incredibly inspiring. Several years ago a large number of Fagus were felled and new tracts of woodland floor was flooded with light . The following year in May the woods was transformed into a brilliant sea of magenta pink Digitalis Purpurea. Stunning! People felt compelled to stop their cars a marvel at the wonder, in the way that people usually stop to take in the local bluebell woods.  It is this sense of invigorated energy which occurs when a tree falls and provides an opportunity for new life and growth that I hope to capture in my Chelsea design. I have been hunting for a suitable tree trunk and plants that would reflect this type of planting, as well as young trees and saplings.

The design is also developing - now the wall is completely curved into a tighter shape so that the design is more fluid. Here I am trying out the use of several colourful swirls but decide that 'less is more', that visually this could look too busy.

I produce my first planting plan with only native wood land plants but later introduce a broader range of plants that describe, as Dan Pearson puts it 'heightened nature' - rather than trying to slavishly replicate it. The path here makes no sense and later joins the end of the wall as a seat, giving the path purpose.