Chelsea Flower Show 2024

Natural By Design

I had the pleasure of working with the Natural by Design team on my 2024 Bridgerton Sanctuary Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show. I was introduced to Lewyn during the planning stage where we worked together to source and detail out every element of the intricate moongate and sunken seating area. Lewyn and his team were meticulous throughout the process and each element of stonework in the garden was thoughtfully and expertly chosen. Building a Chelsea garden is like nothing else, so when I expressed some late stage concerns about key stone elements, Lewyn took the time to meet me at various quarries and worked with me tirelessly to find the stone combinations and finishes that perfectly fit the garden vision. On site, the unfailing commitment to the design continued, with the whole team working long days to dress and place every stone with precision. There were no compromises or shortcuts, just a relentless commitment to the design, the project and the dry stone craft as a whole. The Bridgerton Garden was finished on time and exactly to spec and the Natural by Design team played an essential role in this. The moongate was an exquisite piece of craftsmanship admired endlessly throughout the show and the sunken seating area, which was built entirely on a radius, expertly captured my vision for the garden. In summary, the team was well organised, patient, respectful and importantly, they brought a sense of fun and enthusiasm to the project — Chelsea is a stressful environment so this was hugely appreciated. What started as a job soon became a trusted and fast friendship — I look forward to working with the team again!

Holly Johnston - Holly Johnston Design

Project Summary

The Bridgerton Garden is a secretive and secluded space, based on Penelope Featherington, a wallflower-like character from Netflix and Shondaland’s series of Bridgerton. Designed to reflect Penelope’s personal journey, the garden’s initial focus is a moongate which leads to an ornate water feature and sunken seating area in the heart of the garden. A shaded space down one half of the garden alludes to themes of mystery, turmoil and defiance; layers of groundcover, ferns and ivy are intended to represent a woven network of secrets. In contrast,
the other half of the garden graduates to a brighter palette of sophisticated colours. A curving path culminates at the back of the garden where an inscribed sculptural monolith symbolises change. The return journey guides past an armillary sphere and through brighter planting back to the moon gate.

The moongate can be seen as a portal into Penelope’s personal journey – and the ensuing garden shows the remarkable and personal transformative power of growth.

The use of drystone walling significantly reduces the amount of cement and mortar required in the garden. The water feature, stone plinth, boulders and sunken drystone wall are built with salvaged materials and reclaimed items. Drystone walls provide important habitats for many plants and animals, particularly for lichens, mosses, ferns, and a number of invertebrates. Where cement is required, eco-crete is used for footings and where possible,
cem-free cement.