The top accolade in the Fresh Garden category was awarded to Jo Thompson for her design of the corner of a garden square, with beautiful trees, a place to sit and art to admire, with a mix of tradition and contemporary elements. The London Square garden features a sculpture – a piece of art with tendrils that turn and twist through the garden.
“This is an amazing accolade and I am so proud to have achieved this. I was inspired by the name of the sponsor, London Square, to design a quiet corner of a garden square."
Jo Thompson
Flowing, organic sweeps of fine steel rise out of the planting to make a structure that becomes a bench. Jo Thompson, who has also been commissioned by London Square to design the garden of the new show home at London Square Fulham, said:
“I grew up in Italy and squares are very much a feature of Italian life, as they are in London – communal and convivial spaces for people to meet, exchange gossip and watch the world go by. I used to live near Eccleston Square in Pimlico, which is known for its roses and is considered to be one of the capital’s most beautiful garden squares. Squares have been part of London life for centuries. They can transport you to another place and yet be metres from a busy road and the beating heart of a city. I have tried to capture this in our Chelsea garden.”
“We are absolutely thrilled that our garden won a Gold Medal. This is hugely prestigious and much deserved by Jo Thompson, who has captured the sense of tranquillity and community embodied in this much admired architectural design.”
Rebecca Littler, Sales and Marketing Director, London Square
White standard roses – a rare sight in Chelsea gardens – are part of a colour palette of green and white, with hints of pale apricot irises linking with a cream coloured marbled sculpture by Frederic Chevarin. Splashes of cream are provided by the chalky white bark of three majestic silver birches (Betula utilis var. jacquemontii). The design for the fresh garden at RHS Chelsea was inspired by London Square’s ethos of reflecting the tradition of the capital’s most coveted architectural style. Wellington Square in Chelsea provided the template for the architects of London Square Fulham – and Jo Thompson captures a triglyph detail from Wellington Square on the steps in the Chelsea garden.