Shelter in the garden at Chelsea Flower Show

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Shelter in the garden at Chelsea Flower Show 
Ref: http://www.shelter.org.uk/garden/index.asp

A garden designed to highlight the work of Shelter and illustrate the 
importance of decent affordable housing was on show at this year's 
Chelsea Flower Show (20th - 23rd May 2003).

The garden, designed by Jeff Dutt with planting by Philippa O'Brien, 
emphasises the link between the house and the garden and is centred 
on a low-cost architectural structure with space for the whole 
family. 

Buy the Garden!
You could buy the garden through our silent auction with all profits 
being donated to Shelter. Make a bid now

About the Design
The main structure is an A-frame building worth at least £25,000. The 
A-frame structure uses an entirely new green roofing system designed 
for the show, while all timber in the structure is made from 
Thermowood which has been subjected to an innovative process to 
prevent rot and infestation without the use of chemicals. 

The top floor is set aside as a children's play area and the lower 
level forms a space to entertain guests, friends and family. The 
garden itself is designed on the diagonal with the house at right 
angles to wooden decking surrounded by water. The garden is entered 
through a conservatory to give the impression of how it would look 
from inside a home. Planting will be soft and tranquil to contrast 
the wood and stone lines of the wood structure. 

Designer Wayne Hemingway, founder of Red or Dead and Shelter 
supporter, is to launch the garden on the 19th May. The garden 
strongly reflects Wayne's own philosophy on housing, believing in a 
strong link between house and garden with particular emphasis on 
space for families to play.

Wayne says: "I grew up on an estate in high rise flats where outside 
space to play was hugely important to me. It's this experience as a 
child that has inspired both my designs for affordable housing and my 
support for Shelter. I believe that everyone has the right to live in 
safe, permanent and well-designed housing where there is space for 
children to play - a vision shared by both Shelter and the designers 
of this garden."