CONGRATULATIONS  on your well deserved NEW YEARS HONOUR

Article by Roger Giles

Helena Bonhan Carter enjoying the Gold Medal Winner "Fenland Alchemist Garden" at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

“Thank you for what you did to our self belief by lifting our spirits and putting us back on track again knowing that dream could come true.”

Let us hope that we can be credited in helping you on your journey by allowing you into a little bit of Fenland that we had created at the RHS Chelsea Show on the back of the truths, myths and legends of witchcraft and alchemists that are rife in this part of Fenland and that you were shortly to visit as part of your life’s journey.

 IS THIS REALITY  OR  FICTION ?

 [No doubt as you climbed the stile into the Alchemists Garden you would have felt good vibes from “Fen Ben” who was there only hours earlier and although in your capacity of the wicked witch Bellatrix Lestrange who  had been persecuting his half blood relation, you would have felt he bore you no grudge, his strong character would have overcome Lestrange’s wicked tendancies and as you emerged from the garden over the stile you clearly lost any of that wicked connection you had assumed.  Your wonderful matter of  fact character your parents gave you would have taken over prior to visiting our Fenland Cathedral City of Ely,  not as the wicked witch but as Queen Elizabeth.”]

The whole team and I met with Helena and her mother who were the first superstars to visit our Fen Alchemist Garden on Royal Chelsea Monday.

Our team had worked so hard to create a bit of Fenland magic in the heart of London at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show

The  whole crew had been pushing themselves consistently beyond their mental and physical limits in the build up to the show, but our garden had been judged and we were in the doldrums of the agonising wait all day on the Chelsea Royal Monday and Celeb Day until results would be given out on Tuesday morning.

JANE  WHO  PASSIONATELY  WANTED  TO  SUCCEED  HAD  A BAD  NIGHT

I must admit, we were beginning as the adrenaline subsided, to fall apart a bit and Fen Designer, Jane, was most affected as she had a nightmare believing that the Chelsea Committee had sent a letter telling her never to attempt to come to the show again and we also had to stop Jane from trying to stay in the garden all night.

“FEN BEN” APPEARED

Jane could have rested easily in her bed at the weekend once “Fen Ben” appeared in the garden.

Magic definitely seemed to be afoot, as just before the judging took place,  all the leaves on the plants that were hanging down had lifted themselves up to face the sun in the nick of time, giving  the  garden  we  hade  built  in a week the appearance  it  had  been  there  forever

HELENA  &  HER MOTHER WORE  PERIOD  COSTUMES

I had noticed that Helena and her mother were making a beeline for our garden at this time and I did not know who they were, but my eyes were attracted to the period costumes they were wearing – these were the first superstars of the day!

We listened intently to their wonderful comments on the garden and with these comments the whole mood of the team seemed to lift and lighten and high excitement was on the cards again.  The atmosphere was electric with good vibes sparking off all over the place.

I suppose looking back, as the garden was designed to feed the truths, myths and legends of Fenland witches and Alchemists.

ATTRACTED  THE ULTIMATE  WITCH

Whether we had got a gold medal or not our joint team had made it by attracting as the first high profile visitor, the ultimate Witch Bellatrix Lestrange, who was clearly very impressed.

GOLD MEDAL & “BEST IN SHOW”

We were on a roll again and our belief was back and nothing could stop us.  We were only mildly surprised when we were handed the two awards,  Gold Medal &  Best in Show on Tuesday morning

Just check out the video which had been taken shortly before judging and you will see the leaves showing their bad sides. http://www.gileslandscapes-chelsea.moonfruit.com/#/film/4536849695

As is not surprising we have been following Helena’s career since our meeting at the Flower Show.

On the day of the New Year’s Honours Awards there was a fair bit of Harry Potter stuff and J K Rowling was interviewed and I got the distinct impression that perhaps after a period of time there would be something else after Harry Potter.

J K ROWLING INVITED TO  SKATE ON FEN ICE IN THE MOONLIGHT

I would like to point out to this wonderful lady that we would be pleased to invite her to skate on the real Fen Ice as the sun is going down or in the moonlight to draw inspiration from the wonderful Fenland vibes and magic.

If you just check out the little video the Guardian made last year as the film ends there is just a taster as the sun is going down.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cliDqQWJr0

We don’t really know why Helena and her mother seemed so taken with the garden,  probably it was just its theatrical angle and it suited them or maybe Helena knew she was cast as Queen Elizabeth in the King’s Speech which would mainly be shot on location in the Fenland area where we lived.

But we do know the kind remarks and attention from them was very encouraging for us at that stage of the competition

PS –  “FEN BEN”  CAUSED  CONFUSION

The  last time “Fen Ben” was seen in public,  people  who new  him as  a  child  did  not  recognise him.

Also  a  member of  The  Fenland Harley  Davidson Chapter shook his hand thinking  he  was  Denise from Grunty  Fenn [Goldie says Father]

The  BBC  presenter who interviewed him thought  he  was  a UK Gold Medallist but  apologised  for  her  mix  up  and  was very embarrassed.

The project was a regeneration project in Arbury, Cambridge and consisted of 3 sculptural seats designed by Lubna Chowdhary and built by us out of glazed Ibstock bricks. The result was very unusual yet striking seats and earned us our finalist position in the Best Outdoor Space award.

The annual Brick Development Association Brick Awards recognises excellence in design, aesthetics and construction using brick and is one of the most respected design awards in the UK.

Enviro Mat is a quick and simple way of installing green roofs – we used this product on the roof of our pergola for our Gold winning 2010 Sandringham Flower Show garden. We got great comments on it from HRH Prince Charles as well as the general public – plus the show judges commented that it was the best garden in the 25 years history of the Royal Marquee Garden.

Here’s the link to the video

And here’s a couple of pictures of our Sandringham garden:

Richard Millen showcasing their company, Cambridge Film Works to the landscaping world at Capel Manor Enfield this week at the Creating Landscapes Show.

They already have had several commissions within the landscape sector for promotional film work.

-Roger

 My Daughter- in- law has just has just come back from spending one week in Moscow representing her company Hypro EU at the AgriTech 2011 show. Being Russian herself and fluent in both Russian and English and with a degree in business and transport logistics, she was ideally suited to represent and promote her employer.

Hypro EU based in Longstanton supply the horticultural industry with chemical weeding equipment and was the only UK based company joining companies from over 80 different countries at this massive agricultural show.

-Roger

Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii ‘Profusion’ (also known by the less tongue twisting name of ’Beauty Berry’) is not for the faint hearted. Although one could be forgiven for thinking that the rather uninteresting green blob that it is for most of the year is nothing special at all. Yes my plant of the month is a boring green blob – but boring green blobs are needed in the garden – to act as a backdrop for other more extrovert plant divas. A green background is a very valuable commodity in the garden…

However that is not the full story – this shy, retiring shrub harbours a secret that becomes abundantly clear as the days get colder and the sun sinks lower. As everything else in the garden fades away, this ulgy duckling of the plant world suddenly turns into a swan and there amongst the falling leaves of this once green blob, hang clusters of metallic purple jewels - so vibrant – so shiny – so bead like that you will want to touch them to make sure they are real.

And although some may question how tasteful this shrub is or isn’t - no one can doubt that it’s truly a show stopper!

So what do you need to know about this plant…

Well firstly although hardy – in winters like the last two it could struggle if exposed so try and find a home for it in a sheltered position in full sun or dappled shade.

It grows big – so room is another point to consider – they grow to around 3 metres tall by 2.5 metres wide and also look great planted in groups so a big area is needed to make a show of these – however saying that – they also look very well on their own as a specimen so this all comes down to the amount of garden you can give over to it.

As for maintenance, just cut back one in five stems to the base every year in early spring.

With bronze leaves in spring, delicate pink flowers sprinkled over the green blob in summer and the most astonishing berries in autumn through to winter,  this really is a hard working shrub for your garden!

 - Jane

 - Roger

When I read about the Olympics using wild flower turf, I had a bright idea of sending these videos to one of my clients – Kier Marriott who then showed them to their client. A couple of days later we were rolling out an instant wildflower meadow at the University student village, Luton!

This streaming of videos over the internet definately works!

Watch the Creating Landscapes video here

Watch the Q Lawns meadow mat video here

 -Roger Giles

We are delighted that he is show casing his film business by exhibiting at the innovative end of the landscape market having a stand at the Landscape Juice Creating Landscapes show which will be held at Capel Manor College on the 25th and 26th of October this year.

Cambridge Filmworks have also produced a video for the show where Philip Voice the founder of Landscape Juice talks about the long term principals of this show at Capel Manor and how communication and networking will continue to the advantage of all the participants.

-Roger

Check out the video here: http://youtu.be/yuaemcOu7ZQ

http://www.creatinglandscapes.org.uk/landscape-and-gardening/2011/08/cambridge-filmworks.html#tp

-Roger