At the Chelsea Flower Show, a Jewel-Colored, Wildlife-Friendly Garden

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London always raises the bar for garden design, and this year The Homebase Urban Retreat Garden stands out like a colorful jewel. Designed by Adam Frost as an urban community space, the garden buzzes with color, texture and interest and has community spirit at its heart. There are hidden design features nestled throughout, including a wildlife garden high up on the roof of the pavilion and two secret doors set into the hedge borders. The garden was awarded a gold medal by the Royal Horticultural Society judges. Take a look around below.

Photos by Victoria Harrison

Garden at a Glance
Name: The Homebase Urban Retreat Garden, in association with Macmillan Cancer Support
Location: RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2015
Designer: Adam Frost

The garden is neatly divided into sections of water, lawn and planting, with a cedar-clad pavilion at the far end. A curved wooden path meanders through and connects these different sections, taking visitors on a tour of the garden before they reach the pavilion.

There is also a perimeter path running the length of the garden that is accessed by two doors set into the perimeter hedging. Neat squares of grass connect and link the two paths, offering plenty of routes for visitors to crisscross the space.


Two “secret” doors set into the perimeter hedge lend a whimsical element to the garden design. However, the razor-sharp hedging, neat concrete frames and smart wooden doors ensure that the design still feels contemporary and urban. The clean lines also offer a visual contrast to the romantic plantings.


A granite channel cutting across the garden introduces a dark ribbon of water. Circular stepping stones offer a playful contrast to the linear lines of the garden and add visual interest, as well as providing a fun way of crossing the water.


The garden has been designed as a space for community and wildlife to coexist and flourish, and the plantings reflects this. Bee-friendly plants, such as iris (Iris sibirica) and foxglove (Digitalis purpurea ‘Pam’s Choice’), provide the pollen and nectar so essential for bees, as well as adding height and visual drama.

See how to design a garden for native bees


The cedar-clad pavilion provides welcome cover for individuals or groups as a retreat from the midday sun or a snug shelter from passing rain showers. The winding path flows right through the garden and into the pavilion without a break, seamlessly connecting the indoor and outdoor spaces.

The room could also act as a gathering space for group activities or school visits, strengthening the community spirit of the garden.


The color palette is rich and bold. The lush foliage of the trees and hedges offers a strong backdrop for the jewel colors of the plants, such as the crimson plume thistles (Cirsium rivulare ‘Atroperpereum’), orange Geums (Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’) and bright blue irises (Iris sibirica).

The dark granite water channel and stepping stones also provide a contrasting backdrop against which the bright hues of the flowers really sing.


Frost has made the most of every surface, even adding a green roof to the pavilion, just visible here. This wildlife-friendly space houses a wildflower lawn and a beehive, creating a mini haven for bees and insects and ensuring that the garden supports and respects the natural environment.

Read our guide to installing a green roof
View more award-winning gardens from the 2015 RHS Chelsea Flower Show

URL: At the Chelsea Flower Show, a Jewel-Colored, Wildlife-Friendly Garden http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-26154.html