6 February 2012
Brewin Dolphin has appointed Cleve West to be the designer for its celebratory garden at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show. Brewin Dolphin has sponsored two charity gardens in recent years – the Motor Neurone Disease Association Garden in 2010 and the British Heart Foundation Garden in 2011 and to celebrate its 250th year on 2012 it will be taking a garden in its own name.
Cleve, who has six RHS Gold Medals to his credit and who won Best in Show at Chelsea last year, will use yew topiary to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Brewin Dolphin which was founded in 1762. The yew topiary, symbolic of the sponsor’s history, stability and creativity, stand like sentinels among a tapestry of herbaceous plants to create a hint of mystery and timelessness.
The garden design can be described ‘formal and timeless, contemporary yet traditional’ – which are very appropriate descriptions of Brewin Dolphin. The garden makes use of yew topiary, beech hedging as well as a mix of shrubs, perennials and annuals to contrast with the clipped forms. The colour palette includes delicate whites, lime greens and yellows with splashes of reds and purples for contrast. The use of reclaimed limestone creates an impressive grounding for the plants and can be reused again after the show and most of the herbaceous plants have been sourced and grown in the UK.
Philip Browne, Marketing Director at Brewin Dolphin says, ‘Our presence at Chelsea each year enables us to present Brewin Dolphin to potential clients as well as engage with many existing clients, who are thrilled to see us at their favourite flower show. We are able to take full advantage of the hospitality on offer by inviting our guests to attend Chelsea as part of our involvement. Chelsea Flower Show is a central event in our busy sponsorship schedule and the RHS brand and the event experience work well to complement our own brand and client expectations.
Cleve West has designed a garden that is contemporary as well as reflecting the heritage of British gardening. Our own brand values are centred around themes of heritage as well as approachability, independence and individuality. The garden very elegantly captures the feeling of strength and size whilst also giving visitors a personal experience of the space as they move around the topiary and through the gates. Bringing visitors up through the centre in a sense reflects the journey over time that we embark on with our clients, as our relationships tend to span many years and trust is built up over time – as opposed to being a transactional and transient experience.
We want to highlight the messages that are inherent in our brand: longevity with style. We are a long standing business primarily because we have been able to move with the times over many years – so a contemporary use of traditional gardening methods such as using yew and topiary in a modern way absolutely supports the essence of Brewin Dolphin.’
“I’m delighted to be part of this project to help celebrate Brewin Dolphin’s amazing anniversary. 250 years ago, some of the big names in landscaping were ripping out topiary to make way for a more rural idyll. Fortunately it made a comeback in the 19th Century and this garden will show that everyone can try their hand at in gardens of all sizes.”
The Brewin Dolphin Garden will be located at MA15 – which is the first garden on the main avenue as you enter the grounds of the show.
The Contractors name is Steve Swatton and the plants are being supplied by Hortus Loci.
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For more information, please contact Sasha Dabliz, Director of Marketing at Brewin Dolphin on 0203 201 3027 or sasha.dabliz@brewin.co.uk