A packed audience at the Villages Hall listened to an unusual talk about the principles of good garden design from experts Rupert Keys and Ruth Gwynn from Keyscape Garden Design and Construction Limited.

The couple met each other while studying horticulture at Pershore College and with their complementary skills, have established an award winning practice based in Pershore, set up originally by Rupert in 1993.

They have an enviable claim to fame, having won seventeen RHS medals, and eleven other show and professional landscaping awards over the past twenty years.

Their presentation covered the classic guidelines which govern the way they approach any projects they handle – from residential gardens, and events, to state of the art Show gardens at Chelsea and Malvern, and working with gardening royalty such as Chris Beardshaw.

They explained that the same rules apply to all i.e. firstly analyse the site; then note any constraints; next, define the project objectives and, finally put forward solutions.

The principles which they use in their work include:-

Pattern

Texture

Balance

Contrast

Unity

Rhythm

Focus

some of which overlap as Ruth explained. They showed a number of examples of these, drawing on stands they had done at various shows, gardens they had completed, and other well known garden attractions such as Hidcote, to illustrate how the principles work in practical terms. Notably, they showed how pattern can be used in a vertical sense, rather than just thinking of horizontal applications.

Ruth explained that some extra principles had recently been added:-

Transition

Line

Simplicity

Colour

Ruth won an RHS Gold Medal in 2015 for her show garden ‘The Gift of Life’ where they explained how the design had reflected the choices people make for organ donation.

Another of the gardens to which the couple both mentioned frequently as a good example of the principles was one at Presteigne called Bryan’s Ground (http://www.bryansground.co.uk/) which features very different aspects at its 3 acre site.

The couple finished their presentation by answering a number of questions from the audience.

Ruth and Rupert will be exhibiting again at the Malvern Spring Show in May, so make a point of visiting their stand to see their work in real life.

The Club’s next meeting is on Wednesday March 1st when we will be hearing Neil Cook, head gardener at Hanbury Hall, explain how he created the garden from a blank canvas. (We will be visiting the garden on 23rd April).

Copies of the Club’s annual programme are available by emailing info@bishamptongardeningclub.org.uk or telephoning 01386 462527 or downloading it free from www.bishamptongardeingclub.org.uk/events.

Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month at the Villages Hall, Broad Lane, Bishampton WR10 2LY. Members free, guests £2.

LESLEY MILLER