Five amazing country gardens from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2016

published 21 November 2016

Country Homes & Interiors' editor Rhoda Parry chooses her five favourite country looks from RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2016.

garden with pink flower plants and trees

1 The St John's Hospice Garden: A Modern Apothecary

Loved the rambling rose archway that leads the eye through to this small and tranquil space that's all about the healing power of plants. Filled with herbs that are known to benefit man in medicine and diet, such as rosemary, lavender, sorrel, it was designed by the queen of herbs, Jekka McVicar.

garden area with flower plants and conical bay trees

2 The Harrods British Eccentrics Garden

Designed by Diarmuid Gavin, this is a humorous treat and will make you smile. Look through the gateway you'll see an Italianate country house folly surrounded by twirling conical bay trees and bobbing box balls. The planting is filled with spring-flowering perennials in a pallete of sherbert colours.

garden area with gnarled trees and flower plants

3 L'Occitane Garden

Wild and rugged gardens are a popular garden theme this year. This one is inspired by the harsh beauty of Haute Provence. Designed by James Basson, you look through fields of lavender to a landscape of a riverbed surrounded by gnarled trees and native planting.

garden area with flower plants and wooden deck

4 The Cloudy Bay Garden

Designed by Sam Ovens, modern garden structure is the focal point of this ‘retreat' garden. The deck, boardwalk and cabin made from red cedar hold the eye above a reflective pool which is then surrounded by a predominantly green planting palette of grasses, pines and heathers.

garden area with flower plants and trees

5 Support the Husqvarna Garden

This garden may have been inspired by Melbourne, Australia but the aerial Carpinus and box that give the garden structure can easily be used as inspiration for a grand country garden. Filled with interesting exotics in red tones this garden designed by Charlie Albone is an inspiring mix of antipodean and European ideas.

Follow Rhoda's top country living tips on the Country Days blog.

Rhoda Parry was the Editorial Director of Ideal Home and its sister titles, 25 Beautiful Homes and Style at Home from 2021-2022. She wass also Editorial Director for Gardeningetc, Amateur Gardening and Easy Gardens. Rhoda is a highly experienced editor and journalist and has worked on many women's lifestyle media brands throughout her career. For the last 20 years, she has specialised in homes, interiors and gardens. A storyteller at heart, Rhoda is passionate about championing, crafting and creating exciting written and visual content for digital, print and experiential audiences.