At the 2004 Chelsea show the emphasis on monochromatic green plantings with an emphasis on foliage rather than flowers was a major theme. Native plants, the trend setting southern hemisphere plants and grasses were incorporated into some of these gardens Moss in the landscape and the Japanese gardens have both remained popular. Here at Butchart Gardens we have a dry stream bed (part of the Drought Tolerant trend options) rambling through the verdant green moss of the Pacific Northwest.
Read the Butchart Gardens Japanese garden description about the history of this part of the garden. (see Garden Design). The next picture of the Butchart Japanese gardens features a fatsia (this evergreen shrub which contributes to the Tropical Trend has become a popular plant for 2005). The fatsia is under-planted with minor spring bulbs coming up thru the carpeting of moss. This naturalistic style of planting is yet another 2005 trend.
These monochromatic green plantings hidden behind a hedge at Government House and along the woodland path at the Uplands Hidden Garden demonstrates why the British garden writer Christopher Lloyd made the following comment about the use of the colour green in the landscape. “The colour green which symbolizes life and is soothing Minimalist garden-plants would be all green.
The hard landscaping could include whitewashed walls (though not dead white); terracotta tiles, restrained paving, and I would allow no lawns. The plants' principal importance would then be concentrated on their shapes, and textures, and on their different shades of calming green. Shadows would play an important role. ”