Chelsea 2011: M&G Garden

The M&G Garden, designed by multi award-winning garden designer, landscape architect and journalist Bunny Guinness, won a Silver Gilt medal.

It had been expected to win a gold, and possibly should have. Apparently the judges felt that too much was packed in to it, but we rather liked much of the design and planting in this very ordered kitchen garden.

The garden was packed with fruits, herbs, and vegetables (such as the kale and red cabbages above), and surrounded by pleached trees.

 Black basil attracts bees (above and below)

Lavandula Regal Splendour

 There was lots of bee-friendly planting such as the borage (above) and Mathiesella (below)

Although hardly evident from the ground, the platform above the pavilion was glass, allowing light in. It could, apparently, hold the weight of 25 people. The 6m x 3.2m sheet itself weighed more than two tonnes, and was only supported at eight points around the edge - no doubt it was hugely expensive.

The view from some directions was straight and ordered. But, there were also less formal areas too.

Nicotiana Sanderae - tobacco plant

Kale - Peacock Tails

White mustard flowers

The pool of water at the centre of the garden was handmade from lead

There were lots of large terracotta pots

Woven willow surrounded the raised beds.

They used two types of willow - the green Welsh New Kind and brown Dicky Meadows.

The willow was grown in the Somerset levels.

Pleached trees provided shade around the garden's borders.

Garden designer Bunny Guinness