FEATURE
Stressbusting Surrey garden collaboration wins coveted silver-gilt medal at RHS Chelsea Flower Show
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elebrating success at the UK’s most anticipated horticultural event of the year, the Silent Pool Gin Garden wins a prestigious silver-gilt medal at the Royal Horticultural Society’s world-famous Chelsea Flower Show 2019, where innovative design and horticultural expertise combine to showcase some of the country’s most exciting and inventive gardening feats. Blending the passion and expertise of David Neale of Neale Richards Garden Design and University of Surrey academics Professor Tony Myatt and Professor Richard Murphy, the Silent Pool Gin Garden takes inspiration from plant technologies and the greening of inner city spaces. Born from the vision to create a space that absorbs stress through scent, sound and sight, the garden also invites you to consider the making of gin, the inventive use of recycled materials and the power of plants to create energy. Many of the botanicals used in the making of gin are represented in the planting and symbolised by a single juniper bonsai tree given its own floating shelf on the garden wall, while a striking hanging seat gives a nod to the distillery’s copper stills. A Perspex teal water wall etched with Silent Pool’s signature botanicals forms part of the garden’s feature aqueduct. Director of the Centre for Environment and Sustainability Professor Richard Murphy said: “After
50 JUNE 2019
careful planning and exploring of new sustainable technologies, we are very excited to present our united efforts at RHS Chelsea Flower Show this week. “With the help of engineering students from SurreyEARS (the electronics and amateur radio student society), intricately installed sensors orchestrate Tony Myatt’s natural soundscape, triggering sounds of birds and insects in response to environmental changes in humidity, light, temperature and wind. This, coupled with live electricity generation from the plant microbial fuel cells, has been a brilliant way to engage, inform and intrigue visitors, encouraging an appreciation for plants and the significant role they can play in wellbeing and sustainability.” Ian McCulloch, Founder and Director of Silent Pool Distillers said: “By collaborating with NRGD and the University of Surrey, we were able to create a garden that truly engaged, informed and intrigued visitors in appreciating the critical role of plants to their own well-being, as well as the futures of others. This has been a truly exciting project and we are absolutely thrilled with the outcome.” Elements of the garden will now be donated to Silent Pool Distillers’ chosen charity, Cherry Trees, which provides home-from-home respite care for children and young adults with complex disabilities in East Clandon. www.silentpoolgin.com
The inspiration for the garden came after spending time in the Surrey Hills, a place of unrivalled tranquillity. We wanted to find a way of using plants and technology to allow everyone to enjoy that sense of calm, no matter their location.” – David Neale