The M&G Garden
designed by Andy Sturgeon
We were thrilled when The M&G Garden was awarded 'Best in Show' garden for 2019; this marked the 10th time in 14 years that we had won the prize for Best in Show.
Celebrating the beauty of nature’s extraordinary power to regenerate and colonise all kinds of landscapes with new growth, The M&G Garden in 2019 was a vibrantly green and lush environment. It featured a biodiverse range of pioneering plant species from around the world – including many unusual plants making their first appearance at Chelsea – all of which are able to grow and thrive in the British climate.
Among young trees and ferns, jewel-like flowers brought colour to this woodland garden, shining through the greenery in rich tones of blue, orange, white and deep purple. The contrasting textures of the diverse planting was enhanced by massive sculptures representing ancient rock formations, fashioned from 50 tonnes of sustainable burnt-oak timber by the British craftsman Johnny Woodford. The regenerative theme of new life and growth was carried through with a series of small pools and clear streams trickling through the garden alongside a staircase of vast English ironstone platforms, ending in a tranquil pool.
The garden made the most of textures with accents of blue, orange, yellow, white and deep purple against the predominantly lush green colour scheme. Among the trees and plants featuring in the garden were primordial Equisetum and Restios, Nothofagus antarctica, Carpinus betulus, Gunnera killipiana, Arisaema speciousum, and Disporopsis bodinieri.
