Christine Wilkie of Christie Wilkie Garden Design had put together a very vibrant garden at this years Grand Design Live 2013. Her garden followed a modern, eco friendly approach to garden design.
It has been a common theme this year to use recycled products within show gardens. One thing that we found with Christine's garden was that her use of recycled products didn't mean the garden looked unruly or rustic however it looked quite the opposite. It was very chic and modern and would not look out of place in any trendy city courtyard anywhere in the world.
On initial impressions you would never have guessed the path was made from glass and recycled ceramics. A key feature of this garden was a tiled wall that incorporated an eco fire which inspired the name of the garden 'Glow'.
Another popular section of the garden was the colourful wall art. These pieces of art provided a dual purpose. They were also bee hives. Christine nicknamed these 'bee hotels'. The aim of these bee hotels is to give bees a place to lay their eggs and help with the declining bee population in the UK. The bees are attracted by the bright red and yellow boxes.
Christine really wanted to give people a warm inviting garden to sit back and relax but she also kept in mind that people are looking to do their bit to help the environment. With this garden you can do both.
Her garden proved very popular with Kevin McCloud who awarded her the top prize.
Interview with Christine Wilie:
Kevin McCloud Discusses the Garden:
Below: Winner, Christine Wilkie and her Grand Design Live 2013 Award:
Useful Resources:
