The Perennial Garden, With Love – RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022

RHS Chelsea 2022

The Perennial Garden ‘With Love’ by Richard Miers – Main Avenue 

Garden designer Richard Miers and Perennial, the charity helping people in horticulture, will make a first [1] main avenue appearance with a show garden at the 2022 RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May (Tuesday 24 to Saturday 28).  

The Perennial Garden ‘With Love’ echoes Richard’s belief that gardens are a gift of love, between those who create and nurture them and those who visit and enjoy them. Adding, “it’s a design that’s been in my head for many years”. The 22metre by 10metre sheltered garden reflects Richard’s strong sense of geometry and his mastery of classical design. It is presented here with a soft and elegant twist and reintroduces the tradition of talking a walk around a garden. Hornbeam hedging gently encloses the garden providing a feeling of shelter and security. Eight, flat-topped, hawthorn trees provide structure, symmetry and repetition and flank the central rill. Four multi-stem Parrotia persica trees add a natural sculptural element and contrast with clipped domes of Taxus baccata and Prunus lusitanica. The predominantly green palette is softened by gentle soft white and plum tones in the underplanting and borders. 

Based in London, Richard has been designing gardens for 26 years, and this is his first solo show garden at Chelsea. Passionate about the industry he works in, Richard hopes the garden will raise awareness of the free help and support Perennial provides to those working in and retired from horticulture:

 “There are so many varied skills that come together to create a main avenue garden. Over 50 people are directly involved in this one. That’s just a fraction of all the skilled jobs in horticulture. It’s a hugely rewarding industry to be in but it can also be a precarious career. Perennial has supported people in horticulture and their families for over 180 years.  It’s a privilege to be part of an organisation that gives something back to our horticultural family of growers, designers, gardeners, landscapers and ground staff.  I would invite anyone who cherishes a much-loved green space to check in on the people who help shape it and let them know about Perennial.”

Peter Newman, Perennial’s chief executive said: 

“Richard’s beautiful garden represents the very best of horticulture – art, craft, skill, collaboration and love are all present in abundance. We are very excited about how powerfully it will reach those who either need our help or would like to support us in our purpose of building better futures for people in horticulture and their families.” 

For more information about The Perennial Garden ‘With Love’ by Richard Miers, including a video of the garden, please visit  https://perennial.org.uk/home/gardens/the-perennial-garden-rhs-chelsea-2022/

 

ENDS 

Notes to editors: 

 Attached images show: 1. Designer Richard Miers. 2. An illustration of The Perennial Garden ‘With Love’ by Richard Miers. And a virtual walk around the garden can be found here https://perennial.org.uk/theperennialgardenwithlove 

For all press enquiries and requests – please contact Emma Dewhurst at Ten Stories 07964 686682 or emma@tenstories.co.uk 

[1] – This is Richard’s first solo show garden at Chelsea. In 2000 Richard helped Piet Oudolf and Arne Maynard with their Chelsea show garden as part of a 10 year working relationship with Arne. Perennial has had a presence at RHS Chelsea for over 25 years including a trade stand, floral exhibits and a Great Pavilion Garden (2019).  

About Perennial – Perennial, formally the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Society, has been there to support the people who work in horticulture and their families since 1839. This help has changed with the times. Today the charity has a network of caseworkers and debt advisers across the UK directly supporting people in horticulture. For more information visit https://perennial.org.uk/home/about-us/ 

About Richard Miers – Richard’s 26-year career has translated into gardens for a dacha in Moscow, a villa in Sardinia, a country garden in Norfolk, a newly-built Palladian mansion in Surrey and numerous town gardens in London. He’s been named among the top 10 garden designers by House and Garden Magazine, been invited to design a show and a feature garden for The Daily Telegraph/House and Garden Fair, and was chosen to represent the UK at the Gardening World Cup in Nagasaki. Today, his busy and expanding London practice continues to attract a stream of high-profile projects.