I've just had the most exciting few days as part of the team planting the garden designed by James Wong and David Cubero for the Malaysian Tourist Board - all great learning in preparation for my own show garden planned for next year.
The hard landscaping was in its final stages when I arrived on site - large slabs of beautiful white limestone were covered to protect them from soil and the elements. Large island beds waiting for the water to be pumped around them. At the rear of the garden a raised wooden structure with metal infrastructure and a stone roof was reached by 3 huge slabs of stone - simply lovely. Day by day craftsmen finished the stonework by hand - finally washing and polishing the stone until perfect. No steel capped boots here - they were all in their clean socks only.
The site had been chosen to give some protection from sun for the plants - even then large swathes of shade nets were needed. I was daunted by the sight of all the large trolleys stacked to one side full to bursting with plants mostly from Holland. But there were more to follow each day - huge lorries edged up the narrow roads when finally allowed on site after being held well away from the site and then radioed in when space allowed.
The planting was fantastic - lush green planting with splashes of colourful orchids, so many tropical plants new to me and none of them hardy which caused a few anxious moments with the frosts of the previous week. After planting each plant was scrutinised for perfection snipping and reshaping with scissors - there was even talk of felt pens for some discolouration...
I had imagined a mass of highly stressed-out people but most seemed to be having fun, working flat out, but so much calmer and exhausted
I bear my scars proudly from the large vicious spiky jungle plants and have my fingers crossed for the RHS judging this morning....
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