One of our traditional annual attractions is the carpet bed in front of the Laboratory building in garden. Approximately 10,000 plants go into this 14ft square, which is the most intensely planted part of the garden. This year’s design is inspired by a late 19th Century fan, of a peacock.
Carpet bedding was a favourite of Victorian gardeners, when labour was comparatively cheap so the rich could indulge their taste for intensive horticulture.
We chose dwarf plants and low growing succulents, mainly types of Sedum, Alternanthera and Echeveria and plant them up to form intricate patterns and motifs. We have to have a frequent clipping program to maintain the pattern over the summer season. Lucinda and her team take great pride in bringing this display to life each year.
We hope you enjoy this feature, and value the hard work and dedication that goes into this small but perfectly formed showcase.