The plan is similar to the original. It features four square beds each surrounded by its own C-shaped bed and edged with straight borders on all four sides. At the centre of the design is a statue of three cherubs.
The planting scheme we’ve chosen is a mix of African marigolds, heliotropes, antirrhinums, nicotianca, cosmos, salvias and foxgloves; 250 lavender plants flank the outer edges. We’ve retained as much of the previous scheme as the box blight allowed us to, but these annuals give us the chance to switch things around each year. This winter it’ll be back to the drawing board again.
The design gives a nod to Gertrude Jekyll who encouraged her clients to use marigolds. They’re haemostatic and were used in the First World War to make bandages. Jekyll gave over the use of a field on her estate in Sussex to grow marigolds.Large bundles were shipped out to and used as bandages for the wounded.