BEST IN SHOW AT RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW
11 Jul 2017
The M&G Garden has won Best in Show at the 2017 RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The landscape makes use of disused limestone from a mineral quarry in Malta to make a statement about the island's vulnerability.
Designed by James Basson and built by Crocus, the M&G Garden features a range of plantlife that highlights the vulnerability of Malta’s ecosystem in the face of climate change.
Drawing inspiration from an abandoned Maltese quarry, The M&G Garden features several blocks of limestone at various heights planted with grasses, evergreens, perennials and ground cover unique to the arid Mediterranean island of Malta. The space is divided into a series of zones, each with its own ecology, from shrubland through garrigue landscape to cliff top. 
When asked about his design, Basson explained that “I’m very interested in quarries, especially old, abandoned quarries where nature has re-established itself. I find the idea of nature reclaiming such a man-made, stark environment very exciting.”
With a sobering call to action, Basson has urged viewers of the garden to take action in protecting the fragile environments of our earth and encouraged more people to choose sustainable methods of landscaping where possible. 
Drawing inspiration from sustainable gardening methods for the M&G Garden was a large part of the design brief. “We like to work with nature by making low-maintenance gardens, planting small and letting nature take its course. We use a high diversity of plants that are suited to the conditions and we think this is an environmentally sympathetic way of landscaping,” said Basson.
If you are interested in recreating this look. The RHS Chelsea Garden Show website lists the following plant life as suitable to use in your own landscape designs. 
Plant Shopping List & Key
A Asphodelus fistulosus x4
B Euphorbia dendroides x2
C Euphorbia spinosa x1
D Ferula communis x2
E Foeniculum vulgare x2
F Isatis tinctoria x3
G Thymbra spicata x3
Alternatives:
E Euphorbia mellifera x2
G Achillea ‘Credo’ x2
E Miscanthus sinensis ‘Kleine Fontäne’ x2
