Charlotte Harris, RHS Chelsea Flower Show, 2017

Peter Donegan chats with Charlotte Harris Designer of The Royal Bank of Canada Garden for RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2017.

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“When designing this garden, I spent time in northern Ontario exploring on foot and by canoe – navigating the waterways, pine forests, flora and granite of the Boreal,” said Charlotte Harris. “This time was a precious source of inspiration for the design, providing an appreciation of what comprises this unique and beautiful environment, as well as the importance of living sustainably and in harmony with our precious ecosystems.”

The boreal forest is the largest intact forest and wetland ecosystem on earth, accounting for 25 per cent of the world’s freshwater resources and storing twice the amount of carbon as tropical forests, according to the International Boreal Conservation Campaign. The garden seeks to create a space inspired by this landscape, rather than to recreate it. A wilder garden folds around man-made elements, crafted from materials evocative of the boreal.

"We are excited to partner with Charlotte for our seventh garden at the 2017 RHS Chelsea Flower Show,” said Stuart Rutledge, CEO, RBC Wealth Management – International. “The garden design is a tribute to the beauty of Canada’s boreal forest. As one of the largest Canadian companies in the UK, we look forward to bringing Canada to Chelsea and marking the country’s 150th birthday.”

This will be Charlotte’s first time as lead designer at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, having previously worked on a number of Main Avenue gardens, including Luciano Giubbilei’s Best in Show garden of 2014 and Hugo Bugg’s Royal Bank of Canada Garden in 2016. Charlotte has chosen a strong female design team including architect, technical detailer and horticulturists.

web: www.charlotteharris.com twitter: @charlotteharris instagram: charloharris