Welsh Slate and Breedon Special Aggregates aided the return of container gardens at RHS Chelsea

Hard landscaping products, including decorative aggregates from Welsh Slate and Breedon Special Aggregates aided the return to the 2022 Chelsea Flower Show of the container gardens introduced last year.

Welsh Slate and Breedon Special Aggregates, part of the Breedon Group, featured on five new container gardens conceived by budding landscape designers mentored by award-winning landscape designer Paul Hervey-Brookes who is himself used a plethora of products for the Brewin Dolphin* garden that he designed for this year’s show.

Brewin Dolphin’s garden this year was designed to showcase how a former 1,900s industrial brownfield site can be transformed with the tenets of sustainability at its heart. With thousands of new homes set to be built on brownfield sites over the coming years, it reflects the challenge of inheriting poor soil conditions that many British homeowners will face.

As well as Welsh Slate paving made from reclaimed slate, a range of repurposed materials were used, including recycled aggregates, reclaimed and sustainably sourced bricks, and pre-treated straw walls. A pool, edged in Welsh Slate, will collect and alleviate the risk of flooding from high volume rainfall events which are increasingly common with the effects of climate change.

Paul was using a range of Welsh Slate’s Penrhyn Heather hard landscaping products, including fencing, glacial boulders, slate edging, paving slabs with natural edges and slabs as well as recycled asphalt and concrete, and fine aggregate.

Breedon Special Aggregates’ Breedon Golden Amber gravel, which is the only self-binding gravel to hold a Royal warrant, was used for a hard-wearing yet natural walkway to the balcony and container gardens.

For the container gardens themselves, Welsh Slate riven paving features on the “Mandala, meditation and mindfulness garden” designed by Nicki Hollier and the “Enchanted rain garden” designed by Bea Tann. The former was inspired by conditions imposed by the pandemic, offering a safe haven to spend time sitting and meditating, listening to tranquil water – a calm and restful but rejuvenating space. The latter was inspired by a rainy garden in Manchester, and was designed to thrive in wet conditions, influenced by UK forests.

Highland Blend chippings feature on “The still garden” designed by Jane Porter. It was inspired by Scotland and the plants that thrive across the Highlands and Islands. They reference native species and the climate to evoke an atmosphere that is immersive, secluded and still.

Breedon Special Aggregates’ 10mm Breedon Buff natural chippings was used on the “Wild kitchen garden” by Ann Treneman and “A Mediterranean reflection” garden by Tanya K Wilson and Johanna Norlin.

The “Wild kitchen garden” brought wild edible plants and trees into a small urban setting with planting that is informal colourful, airy, natural – and tasty too. It would work perfectly in the back garden of a city terrace, while “A Mediterranean reflection” was inspired by the Mallorcan landscape, utilising the colours and stone textures of the Mediterranean through artisan elements.

All of the paving and decorative aggregates from Welsh Slate, Association Accredited Supplier, and Breedon Special Aggregates featured on the container gardens at the 2022 Chelsea Flower Show can be bought online - here. In addition, all Welsh Slate landscaping products are available - here. Breedon’s acclaimed Breedon Golden Amber and decorative aggregates can be purchased directly - here.

*UK FTSE 250 provider of discretionary wealth management.

Pictured: Brewin Dolphin garden and Mandala, meditation and mindfulness garden.