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Garden name

The Cancer Research UK Garden

Designer

Robert Myers

Awards

Silver-Gilt Flora

Video tour of garden

Description of garden

Designed for a couple who have previously lived by the sea, this garden celebrates and evokes memories of the coast. Working from the theme 'Surviving' it also celebrates how Cancer Research's work saves thousands of lives.

As you make your way from the barren beach, planted with tough sea kale and thrift, to the tall Chusan palms at the rear, you find yourself walking up an incline, with different paths to take. Finally, at the top a pavilion offers an area for rest and reflection whilst a mirror, mounted on the wall, looks back at the journey taken and hints at journeys beyond.

Plants start as tough low-growing beach plants such as thrift and sea kale and continue into central areas which are planted with resilient Marram grass (from sand dunes) and the tender-looking yet tough tamarisk trees. Planting ends as semi-tropical and slightly more tender at the rear of the garden like agave and echium.

Photo

Thrift and sea kale planted in waves at the front of Rober Myer's garden

Inspiration / influences

Inspired by the work of Cancer Research the brief was to make a garden with the theme.

Robert is also a sailor and loves the coast so this is a garden he's loved making.

List of plants in the garden

Pinus sylvestris - Scots pine

Tamarix tetranda - Tamarisk

Trachycarpus fortunei - Chusan palm

Echium pinninana - Echium

Ammophila arenaria - Marram grass

Armeria maritima - Thrift, sea pink

Crambe maritima - Sea kale

Centranthus ruber 'Albus' - White Valerian

Centranthus ruber var 'Coccineus' - Valerian

Muehlenbeckia complexa - Wire plant

Trachelospermum jasminoides - Star Jasmine

Also

Often employed to regenerate historical landscapes, Robert also creates his own contemporary landscape designs.

This is Robert's 7th Chelsea Flower Show and his third year designing for Cancer Research. In 2009 he won both a Silver-Gilt medal and the much-coveted People's Choice Award, voted for by the public. In 2010, Robert won another gold medal for his Cancer Research UK garden with the theme 'enlighten'.

Links

List of 2011 show gardens - Chelsea Flower Show

Chelsea Flower Show photographs

TV schedule - Chelsea Flower Show

List of 2011 show gardens - Chelsea Flower Show

Archive: Meet the 2010 garden designers