We’re pleased to be able to share a great customer feature with you on the Defiance Garden at RHS Malvern. The Defiance Garden was designed by Sara Edwards founder of No.30 Design Studio and won a Gold Medal and Best Green Living Spaces award.  

The Defiance Garden

Designed by: Sara Edwards, No. 30 Design Studios
Built By: Design It Landscapes
Sponsored by: The Pot Company, Palms Exotics, Photowall Interior Murals

What are the Green Living Spaces?

The Green Living Spaces Gardens were introduced by the RHS to help inspire ‘generation rent’ to start gardening. The gardens showcased the benefits of green living spaces both inside and out.

In 2019 designers were tasked with creating an incorporated space that combined the internal and external areas. Each designer was given space that represented a balcony or patio alongside a shipping container with sliding doors.

The Design Behind the Defiance garden at RHS Malvern

Defiance represented a London-based balcony garden. It was created for an owner who wanted to escape the confines of inner-city life to explore the lush green rainforests of Brazil.

The planting style included overflowing tropical foliage that contrasted with the stark, urban concrete. In addition to the contrast between the concrete vs. planting there was also a divide between the structural forms. In the garden you could find strong, rectangular planters placed against a surface of our naturally rounded Duck Egg Pebbles.

Even the planting included defined forms, with angular palms planted against grey planes of colour. But the contrast was why we loved the garden – it meant there was so much to discover!

We spoke to designer Sara about why she chose to include our Duck Egg Pebbles in her design. She explained:

“I liked their texture and shape. The roundness of the pebbles juxtaposed against the paving and the planters really well. They also had to be right in terms of the colour. When they’re dry they have a light tone with hints of blues but when they’re wet the colours become quite defined.”

Sara Edwards, No.30 Design Studio

We’re thrilled that Defiance garden at RHS Malvern was awarded a Gold medal and Best Green Living Space, it was great design that’s given us lots of ideas on how to improve urban spaces with planting.

Watch our interview with designer Sara in our video below.