On Wednesday we were pleased to welcome David Jewell, Head of collections at Sir Harold Hillier gardens, and formerly Floral  Superintendent at RHS Wisley.

David explained the main style elements for plant association: height, vertical lines or accents, outline and shape, foliage colour used as a foil and flower shapes, as implemented in the classic Mixed Border at Wisley. He contrasted this with the more naturalistic and modern Glasshouse Borders designed  by Piet Oudolf, which require much less staking, feeding and irrigation. Slides of a Prairie Meadow Garden completed the trio of very different styles of gardens, leaving the audience with much to mull over.