Brewin Dolphin brings sculptural riverside garden to RHS Chatsworth with Jo Thompson
News & comments1 February 2017
Multi award-winning designer Jo Thompson has been chosen by Brewin Dolphin to create its inaugural garden at the first annual RHS Chatsworth Flower Show.
The Brewin Dolphin garden will appear in the new FreeForm category, intended to encourage a diverse freedom of expression through sculptural design. Jo Thompson will create a spectacular horticultural installation celebrating the landscape of the 1,000-acre parkland of the Chatsworth Estate and the elegance and beauty of Chatsworth House.
Sited on the banks of the River Derwent, the scale of the garden will reflect the grandeur of its setting, combining modern industrial materials with naturalistic planting. Central to the design is an imposing contemporary sculpture crafted from reinforcing steel bars (Rebar) that will sweep through the space, taking in the shape of the river in a series of wide curves before cantilevering dramatically out over the water. Here, it will hang suspended in mid air before sweeping back to the riverbank and spiralling into a circular enclosed building.
A series of garden areas will be dotted along the sculpture’s main frame connected by wild flower turf following the organic shape of the structure. At one end, majestic field maples and hornbeams will create a glade of trees surrounded by meadow. At the other, an ornamental garden area will curve around the imposing steel building. A soft pastel planting palette of blues and pinks will contrast with the patina of the steel sculpture.
Elsewhere, paving and sculptural seating will reference the millstones that can be found right across the Peak District, the region in which the Chatsworth Estate sits, and which form a vital part of the area’s cultural heritage.
Jo Thompson said: “I wanted to design a garden that does justice to the majestic setting of Chatsworth House and that maximises the beautiful views and natural curves of the landscape. The sheer size and scale of the setting has allowed me to push the boundaries and create something that I hope will truly inspire and excite everyone who visits and provide a spectacular contemporary viewpoint from which they can enjoy the historic vistas. Chatsworth has a rich history of combining the surprising and contemporary with the historic and traditional, it’s this spirit that I wanted to reflect in The Brewin Dolphin Garden.”
Planting
Delicate, pretty planting will create the feeling of an ornamental meadow set against the vibrant green of the landscape. Planting is loose and energetic, to reflect the setting, and the colour palette is created from soft, delicate shades of pink and lavender. Garden areas will be filled with rosa canina, peonies, irises and dahlias. Four huge field maples and two hornbeams create a glade of trees, fitting with the surrounding parkland and swathes of wild flower meadow surround the garden.
Rupert Tyler, national director at Brewin Dolphin said: “We’re thrilled to be involved with the first ever RHS flower show at Chatsworth House and to be working with a designer who has such an outstanding pedigree in garden design. RHS Chatsworth is the flagship event in our annual gardening programme, which offers our clients some truly unique and exciting opportunities in the world of horticulture. Taking inspiration from Chatsworth House and the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire’s love of contemporary art, this year’s programme is created under the theme of Art and the Garden. Jo’s garden is a fantastic reflection of this.”
The Brewin Dolpin Garden at RHS Chatsworth marks a continuing relationship with the RHS after five successful years at RHS Chelsea.
PRESS INFORMATION
For further information, please contact:
Suzanne Hind suzanne@suzannehind.com or Theresa Osen theresa@suzannehind.com at Suzanne Hind PR | Marketing Consultants. Tel: +44 (0) 207 502 8505 or +44 (0) 7813 208 168.
Richard Janes richard.janes@brewin.co.uk Tel. +44 (0) 20 3201 3343
Payal Nair payal.nair@brewin.co.uk Tel. +44 (0) 20 3201 3342
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Brewin Dolphin
Brewin Dolphin is one of the UK’s leading independently-owned providers of discretionary wealth management. With £36.4 billion in funds under management, we offer award-winning personalised wealth management services that meet the varied needs of over 100,000 account holders, including individuals, charities and pension funds.
Brewin Dolphin Gardening offers a unique programme of one-off opportunities to meet some of the UK’s leading garden designers and horticultural experts at events across the country, in exclusive venues ranging from stately homes and castles to flower shows and literary festivals.
2016 was the fifth consecutive year that Brewin Dolphin sponsored a show garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. For 2017 they are embarking on a new venture supporting the Royal Horticultural Society at its first ever Flower Show to be held at Chatsworth House.
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About Jo Thompson
Jo Thompson is one of the UK’s leading garden designers. Named ‘Best Rural Garden Designer’ (2011) and a Society of Garden Designers ‘Future Designer’ (2014), she is also listed by House and Garden magazine as one of the country’s top ten garden designers.
Jo’s garden designs range from tiny rooftop spaces to residential family gardens, public spaces and country estates. Jo uses her understanding of place to ensure that the landscapes she creates work seamlessly in their location. Her exquisite planting has led her to be considered one of the UK’s leading plantswomen. Whilst most of her work has been within the UK, she has also designed projects in Russia, France, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and Canada and has represented the UK at the Gardening World Cup in Japan.
Jo has been the recipient of three Gold and five Silver Gilt medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.