‘Rooftop Workplace of Tomorrow’ brings the RHS Chelsea Flower Show into the 21st Century!

Patricia Fox of Aralia Garden Design is awarded an RHS Silver Flora Medal with the first ‘Rooftop’ inspired office garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2012.

 

 Benjamin Wetherall Photography ©

Rooftop Workplace of Tomorrow (in association with Walworth Garden Farm, and sponsored by RBS) has been awarded with a prestigious RHS Silver Flora Medal at this years RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Featuring an LED sports screen emitting calming and relaxing sounds and visuals, along with Wi-Fi, laptops and tablets throughout, this garden is where cutting edge technology and tranquillity unites.

Patricia Fox says “The idea behind this garden is to utilise unused urban rooftop space and turn it into a place of beauty creating an inspirational, relaxing and thought provoking working environment – all in the middle of a concrete jungle!”

As well as introducing 21^st Century technology to the Show Gardens category at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Patricia has also selected a number of innovative materials which are economically friendly, including bamboo decking made from fast growing bamboo which proves extremely ecological. All the tabletops have been built using a brand new material produced from compressed recycled paper. The furniture and planters in the garden have been manufactured using brand new ‘up-cycled’ materials launched this year by Thomas Bramwell, including their modern take on the egg chair and quirky hanging ‘C’ shaped chairs hung from a modern white metal pergola, as well as ultra chic bespoke ‘sun’ sofa and chairs.

Aralia Garden Design ©

Functionality is key to this garden, and it doesn’t stop with the planting as Patricia has included is a stunning ‘Herb Wall’ where users can pick their own herbs of choice to make some revitalising herbal tea such as lemon, ginger, pineapple and even chocolate!

 

 Latchmere Productions ©

Calm and understated planting has been used to create a very textural, structured yet beautifully delicate space. The colour scheme is a mix of green and silver blue foliage, and simple white flowering plants such as Yarrow (Achillea Millefolioum), Rocket Candytuft (Iberis Amara) and White Campion (Silene Latiflora). The main focal plant is a stunning Pleached Field Maple (Acer Campestre) to give some stature to the garden, providing a beautiful alternative to the Pleached Hornbeam (Carpinus) which has been commonly seen at Chelsea in recent years. A West Himalayan Birch (Betula Pendula) has been selected for its ashy bark which compliments the white flora throughout the garden. A Norway Maple (Acer Globosum) has been used to provide a natural ‘umbrella’ for the floating workstation providing subtle shade under which to relax with laptops or tablets provided. Buxus cubes, Thymus balls and Buxus hedging provides the necessary structure to the garden, mimicking the ‘rounded square’ tablet inspired shape which is used consistently throughout the garden.

Patricia hopes to inspire anyone to extend their working offices into the outdoors, to help those busy workers of the 21^st Century stay fresh and revitalised. She also aims to encourage people to ‘green up’ their rooftop and outdoor spaces whether it’s commercial or domestic, to turn it into an inspiring, beautiful yet functional space filled with lush planting to help sustain the environment.

Latchmere Productions ©

Rooftop Workplace of Tomorrow has been awarded an RHS Silver Medal within the Show Gardens Category at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year. Let’s hope that from this, future Show Gardens of the world famous flower show will start to see even more of a transition into the 21^st Century!

info@aralia.org.uk
01279 721461 / 07970 906233
Studio 2, New House Farm, Lower Sheering Road, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, CM21 9LE

RHS Chelsea 2012 'Rooftop Workplace of Tomorrow - The Build (Days 13 to 14)

The garden is really starting to take shape now, the planting is looking wonderful thanks to our all our lovely helpers! Here are just a few pics from the past couple of days...

 info@aralia.org.uk
01279 721461 / 07970 906233
Studio 2, New House Farm, Lower Sheering Road, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, CM21 9LE

RHS Chelsea 2012 'Rooftop Workplace of Tomorrow - The Build (Days 11 to 12)

Think we spoke too soon about that weather, yet another wet day at Chelsea for the most part of today! Here are a few snaps from days 11 & 12 of the Build...

Day 11

Day 12 

Tristen Knight (Senior Designer)

Is this what you call working!? ;-)

 

I can safely say that the 'Cube' building and Awning has been put to very good use during this lovely British weather!

info@aralia.org.uk
01279 721461 / 07970 906233
Studio 2, New House Farm, Lower Sheering Road, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, CM21 9LE

RHS Chelsea 2012 'Rooftop Workplace of Tomorrow' - The Build (Days 9 to 10)

Well at last the weather decided to hold up long enough for us to dry off!! Here are a few pictures from Days 9 and 10 of the build...

The Build - Day 9

The Build - Day 10

info@aralia.org.uk
01279 721461 / 07970 906233
Studio 2, New House Farm, Lower Sheering Road, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, CM21 9LE

RHS Chelsea 2012 'Rooftop Workplace of Tomorrow' - The Build (Day 8)

We definitely needed that ark yesterday, the heavens opened and we all got thoroughly drenched. I am so pleased to see sun this morning; it's going to be a great day! Yesterday was terribly exciting, we got the green roof and the green wall installed in one day, got a few finishing touches to do today, but on the whole they look pretty good. 

Our trees should be arriving any minute! I am so looking forward to having these lifted and placed into their beautiful new homes - gorgeous Eco plastic planters made by the highly talented Bev Bramwell of Thomas Bramwell. They've felt a bit like giving birth, when we first heard about them in January they were pro type drawings only, but their look was perfect for the garden and we knew they would be fantastic - if only they could be designed, developed, manufactured and delivered on time... it's been a long journey, they're not exactly what was originally imagined, but they are (in Bev's own words) 'bloody gorgeous!'. Photos of the coordinating furniture were being emailed thru to me at ten o'clock last night (Chelsea hours are 24/7, no rest for the wicked!) just need to make a final decision on colour!

 

We've just gone past the halfway mark on the build, feeling very positive and very proud of our team of contractors and suppliers. Sean, and his merry crew of Mark, Michael and Matt (all Giles Landscapes) are doing a grand job, they're working such long hours but still managing to have fun and get the job done! Now where are those trees…?

info@aralia.org.uk
01279 721461 / 07970 906233
Studio 2, New House Farm, Lower Sheering Road, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, CM21 9LE

RHS Chelsea 2012 'Rooftop Workplace of Tomorrow' - The Build (Days 6 to 7)

Not sure about a garden, think we might be better off building an ark! It is just like a mud bath today, the rain started at lunchtime and has stayed for most of the day. What a change from yesterday when we had blue sky, sun and not a drop of rain.

Day 6

Day 7

Slow progress today, which feels frustrating but I do know that we will get there in the end ( I sincerely hope so). Michael (Giles Landsapes) had a minor mishap today and spent a few hours in A&E, but all is well and pleased to say he made it back to site.

We have a really exciting day tomorrow our green wall and green roof are being delivered and installed - I can hardly wait. They will be our first green things to site and I know, at last, the mud bath will begin to resemble a garden in some small way. Our trees are coming on Friday so at least by end of Friday we won't feel so left out - We must be the only show garden with no tree or plant in site!

Tired, ready for a bath and a large glass of wine, then bed.....

info@aralia.org.uk
01279 721461 / 07970 906233
Studio 2, New House Farm, Lower Sheering Road, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, CM21 9LE