Fiona Stephenson designs a garden inspired by the PRP for the Hampton Court Flower Show

Fiona Stephenson, an award-winning garden designer, has designed a garden inspired by the PRP for the Hampton Court Flower Show. Writing about how the garden came about, Fiona says:

“One of life’s joys for me is the privilege of being able to walk daily through the woods of our countryside. The majesty of our oak and beech trees sometimes even moves me to tears. Like many, I have become increasingly concerned about the forests of the world. Having discovered The Prince’s Rainforest Project, I felt inspired to design a garden to raise awareness of the plight of the forests.

Musing on the barkless form of a fallen and weathered oak makes me think of the human form in repose. The limb of a branch without bark reveals a muscular structure not so very different from ours. And trees breathe. If trees had blood would forests be cut down quite so readily?

These thoughts led me to design a garden where a tree is personified and given the honour of a ‘Lying In State’. A catafalque raises a fallen oak above a carpet of red flowers. The Achilles flower represents both the weakness of an ‘Achilles heel’ and also it’s healing properties as a styptic. A copper rill not only alludes to the need to harvest rainwater, but also how the forests enhance and regulate our water supply.”

The Hampton Court Flower Show runs from 7th to 12th July. 

Fiona and the PRP are looking into ways that the garden could be used again or relocated to continue raising awareness of The Prince’s Rainforest Project.