A lush garden with various green plants, ferns, flowering bushes, and wooden garden stakes supporting the plants.

The Kettles on …

Awarded Gold by the Judges at BBC Gardeners World Spring Fair, Beaulieu.

The theme set was ‘shared space’. Working in partnership with Tiffany Passmore Garden Design, we have designed a border that simulates the idea of a woodland community orchard that can be enjoyed and shared by both people and wildlife. A spine of pallet wood uprights spirals through the mixed edible and perennial planting with arms leading off to open up views through the border from all sides. A central meeting area invites you to sit on a log and enjoy a cup of tea and a chat. A small pond collects rainwater for frogs and insects. Trugs and fruit boxes grow herbs and fruits ready to share out to friends and neighbours.

A garden scene with various colorful flowers and green plants. A rusty kettle is placed on a grill over a fire pit, surrounded by a rustic wooden fence.
A lush garden filled with tall, flowering plants and green foliage, with a wooden fence in the background.
Information board about a garden border design called 'The Kettle's On...' created by Tiffany Passmore and Catherine Butcher, displayed at the BBC Gardeners' World Fair Spring. It includes the design's description, sponsors, and QR codes.
A felted bird figurine perched on the handle of a vintage metal kettle outside among plants.
Close-up of a pink flowering plant with green leaves, featuring detailed petals and leaf texture.
A sign at the Gardeners' World Fair showing a gold award for a border titled "The Kettle's On..." created by Tiffany Passmore and Catherine Butcher, surrounded by various plants and ferns.
A small artificial blue and yellow bird decoration perched on a branch of a flowering shrub in a garden, surrounded by various green plants and pink and white blossoms.
A garden with a round fire pit and firewood, surrounded by lush green plants and flowers.

The idea of this border is that it can be extended to almost any size. The plants are mostly suitable for shady conditions, or do well in early spring before deciduous cover takes over. Paths provide access to all plants and views throughout the border (see plans below for more details).

All the varieties planted in the show garden are listed below. A number of them are available to buy direct from our online shop (see links below). If you are interested in knowing more or purchasing any of the plants used in the garden that are not listed in our online shop, please do get in touch kat@plantsfordesign.co.uk.

Fruit Trees & Bushes:

  • Apple Laxtons superb SF (self -fertile)

  • Apple Cox Orange Pippin

  • Pear Conference

  • Gooseberry Invicta

Herbaceous Perennials

  • Iris Sable

  • Cirisium atropurpureum

  • Geum Totally Tangerine

  • Geranium Phaeum

  • Astrantia Hadspen Blood

  • Thalictricum aquilegifolium

  • Thalictricum Nimbus Pink

  • Digitalis Suttons Apricot

  • Primula bulleesiana

  • Lamium Orvala

  • Tirella Pink Sky Rocket

  • Liriope Monroe White

Ferns & Grasses

  • Dryopteris erythrosora Prolifica

  • Polystichum braunii

  • Luzula sylvatica Marginata