Homeowners don’t need to spend a huge amount of money on their gardens for them to be beautiful, says Chelsea Flower Show winner John Everiss.
What does it take to create an award-winning Chelsea Flower Show Garden? Certainly, award-winning professional landscaping designer and sculptor John Everiss can provide a level of insight into what is involved in creating a plethora of beautiful outdoor spaces as well as his multi-award-winning show gardens. For over 30 years, John has become known for pushing the boundaries of sculpture and artisan garden design, creating beautiful outdoor spaces of all sizes for private customers, show gardens and public exhibitions that are uniquely interesting, practical and long lasting. Indeed, John’s work has been recognised by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) on multiple occasions, achieving gold at both the Tatton Park and Chelsea Flower Show, leading to commending coverage on the BBC’s radio and television stations as well as an assortment of local North West media. “Gardens don’t have to be hugely expensive to be beautiful and impactful, they just need to be creative and imaginative,” says John. “It is important to use the available space wisely, and not to overcomplicate the overall design. “Of course, it is always worth investing in high quality plants and to work with a supplier you can trust to grow, source and deliver plants and materials on time and within budget. For over 20 years, I have personally chosen Bannister Hall Nursery and landscaping supplies in Higher Walton, Preston, to supply both private garden projects and award-winning RHS show garden designs.” Speaking of the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show, John says: “Chelsea is essentially a piece of theatre. We’re creating the illusion of a garden that’s always been there. It takes many months of planning and plant growing, even if it is built from scratch in just a few weeks at the London show site.” He continues: “When designing artisan gardens, the available space is tiny, so it is important to draw the viewers eye to the corners or back wall to create the impression of an elongated plot. Creating a theme and story for a show garden is key and sculpture, for which I have become known, is essential for providing a huge visual impact when used appropriately.” One of John’s most inspiring recent projects is his award-winning garden design for the RAF Benevolent Fund, developed specifically for the Chelsea Flower Show in 2022, featuring a four-meter sculpture of a young pilot looking up at the sky – a moving tribute for all those who have served and continue to serve in the RAF. The sculpture of the RAF pilot is actually made from 223 individual layers of stainless steel and following a painstakingly assembly process, the effect is simply mesmerizing: “The garden features a dry-stone wall of Purbeck stone which spirals around the sculpture and boasts a seven-foot-high cloud pruned camelia and a tapestry of beautiful azaleas, smaller camelias plus a more open area of woodland planting. “For that particular show, Bannister Hall grew in the region of 2500 plants, from which I chose to use approximately 1300 of them including geraniums, cow parsley, cirsium and foxglove to name but a few. Overall, the garden really achieved a restful and peaceful ambience with an emphasis on muted colours.” Testament to the impact of John’s incredible design, following the Chelsea Flower Show, the garden was relocated to a permanent site at London Biggin Hill Airport, as a larger commemorative garden which continues to receive many visitors, who sit within the garden and reflect on the service and sacrifice of all the RAF and civilian personnel. When asked about upcoming future trends happening in gardening over the next few years, John replies: “It is very likely that there is going to me more emphasis on sustainability and affordability in gardens of all sizes, and for this reason, when thinking about your overall design, is it important to source your plants and landscaping materials from a supplier who can best meet that criterion. For me that continues to be Bannister Hall and their website everythingplants.co.uk.”
