The final garden in this series is the ‘Throb and Vibe’ garden by English designer JAS, or James Alexander-Sinclair for long. It was created in a year of crisis for Chelsea. The year was 2017, and in the uncertain time after the Brexit referendum, sponsors abandoned the show. No sponsors, no gardens, so JAS stepped in to design a last-minute commission using the theme of sound. No-one can explain the concept and its realization better than the designer himself.
I remember him talking about this garden at an event in Seattle, while Alexander-Sinclair was a guest judge at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show. What a joy it was to listen to his stories! The event in February may very well have been his last trip for a while as now we are faced with another crisis, brought on by a tiny but nasty virus.
Apart from his Chelsea garden, James Alexander-Sinclair brought another project to my attention — Horatio’s Garden. This UK charity supports spinal-injury units of the NHS, for which a number of designers have created marvellous gardens, including JAS. Please visit their website to see what incredible work they do, and how beautiful their gardens look and feel for the people they were designed for.
The virtual Chelsea Flower Show 2020 has started. I’m sure we’ll all enjoy it.
