Latest news with #TomMassey
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I'm a Chelsea Flower Show gold medal winner and these are the world's most beautiful gardens
Gardener Tom Massey is basking in a golden glow after scooping a gold medal at Chelsea Flower Show this week. The London landscaper, who grew up close to Richmond Park in the capital's south west, scooped his second coveted gold medal in a row after exhibiting at the country's most famous flower show. Alongside co-designer Je Ahn, the pair created the AI-enabled Avanade Intelligent Garden, which has been one of the most talked about horticultural showcases at this year's event. BBC presenter Adam Frost praised the garden for its diversity during a tour, saying: 'He's built in layers - so the trees, the shrubs, and then we're down to the herbaceous plants, but within that, there's a huge amount of edibles.' Tom told MailOnline Travel that he's been inspired by visits to some of the world's most spectacular green spaces - and says green-fingered fans should make time to see beautiful gardens when on holiday. He said: 'Travelling to visit gardens is one of the most enriching ways to connect with a place - offering a window into local culture, climate, and ecology through the lens of landscape design. 'Gardens tell stories about how people live with nature, and each one reveals something unique about its environment and community.' Here, the Chelsea Flower Show gold-medal winner picks his favourite gardens around the world... The High Line, New York City, USA An elevated linear park built on a former freight rail line, the High Line is a global model for regenerative urban space. Designed by James Corner Field Operations with Piet Oudolf's planting, it showcases native and climate-resilient species in a bold, immersive landscape. Westergasfabriek, Amsterdam, Netherlands Once a contaminated gasworks site, Westergasfabriek was transformed into a thriving cultural and ecological park. It features innovative water purification systems, wildflower meadows, and sustainable architecture, demonstrating how degraded land can be beautifully restored. The Superkilen, Copenhagen, Denmark A radical example of sustainable placemaking, Superkilen blends climate-resilient design with social inclusion. Recycled materials, drought-tolerant planting, and community-sourced elements from around the world make it a living celebration of diversity and urban resilience. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London Born from the 2012 Games, this park is a benchmark for ecological urban design. Swales, wetlands, and wild planting manage stormwater naturally, while new woodlands and meadows increase biodiversity and provide long-term public benefit. Gardens by the Bay (Bay East), Singapore Beyond the famous Supertrees, Bay East offers a quieter, more ecologically focused experience. It integrates native wetland planting, stormwater harvesting, and passive cooling design, showing how cities in hot climates can reimagine public space sustainably. Naoshima Island, Japan Not a garden in the conventional sense, but a deeply considered landscape where art, architecture, and nature coexist. Naoshima invites slow, sensory engagement with place, and its sensitive design ethos aligns with the values of sustainable and immersive garden design. Castlefield Viaduct, Manchester A National Trust project transforming a disused railway viaduct into an elevated urban park. Castlefield Viaduct champions nature-led regeneration, using planters filled with native and pollinator-friendly plants while trialling new approaches to green infrastructure in cities. My WaterAid show garden from RHS Chelsea 2024 will be relocated here in Spring 2026 as part of a phase 2 extension.
Telegraph
17-05-2025
- Telegraph
The Chelsea Flower Show garden that tells you when it needs watering
Gardeners have long loved speaking to their plants, believing it helps encourage their growth and well being. Now scientists have developed a garden that talks back, informing its keepers when it needs more water and nutrition. Going on display at the Chelsea Flower Show, which starts on Tuesday, the Avanade Intelligent Garden is fitted with pioneering AI sensors which allow people to understand if plants are under stress to help with decisions about which care to give. The garden, which is designed by Tom Massey and Je Ahn and fitted with an interactive tool called TreeTalk, promises to 'provide insights into the condition of urban trees and offers recommendations to support their care'. Through a web-based app, visitors to the Chelsea Flower Show can have one-to-one conversations with the trees in the garden, learning what specific care they need and how they are faring. Trees will even alert their custodians if they anticipate issues like over or under-watering. The garden's sensors track tree health by monitoring growth, sap flow, soil conditions, air quality, and weather patterns. AI analyses this data, spotting trends and predicting future conditions before providing simple advice on what steps a gardener should take next. Mr Massey and Mr Ahn point out that 30 per cent of urban trees die in their first year, with 50 per cent failing to survive beyond 10 years. They hope their approach will assist gardeners in ensuring a longer lifespan for their own trees. The pair said: 'This garden is an experiment, but we hope it sparks a new conversation about the future of urban tree care.' They claim 'trees are empowered to provide insights' rather than 'relying on automated irrigation systems or robotic gardeners'. 'We aim to foster a deeper understanding of trees and useful dialogue with them, retaining essential human interaction in their physical care and management. We hope this garden sparks conversation about the future of urban tree care,' they said. 'By blending nature with technology, we hope to demonstrate that we can give trees a better chance to thrive in our cities while empowering their caretakers, whether it's a group of schoolchildren tending to a new tree in their playground or a developer managing thousands of trees across a new housing estate. Our urban trees are vitally important and should be here for generations to come.' In 1986, when asked about his gardening habits and techniques, the then-Prince Charles replied: 'I just come and talk to the plants, really – very important to talk to them, they respond.' Mr Massey, a London-based landscape and garden designer known for his innovative and sustainable approach, won a gold medal and the BBC People's Choice Award for the Yeo Valley Organic Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2021, and a gold medal for the Water Aid Garden, designed in collaboration with Mr Ahn, in 2024. Mr Ahn is the founding director of Studio Weave, an architectural practice, and has worked on large-scale housing, civic infrastructure and schools. He is currently involved in the Vestry House Museum, a project set to open in early 2026, as well as designing welcome pavilions and landscapes for the British Museum. After the show, the Avanade Intelligent Garden will be relocated to Manchester's green Mayfield district.
The Independent
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
New to gardening? Tips from Chelsea Flower Show designers to get you started
This year's National Gardening Week shines a spotlight on beginner gardeners, offering a helping hand to those eager to cultivate their green thumbs. But for the uninitiated, the world of gardening can feel overwhelming. Where do you even begin? Here four esteemed garden designers from this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show share their personal journeys and the valuable lessons they've learned along the way, offering inspiration and practical advice for aspiring gardeners. 'Gardens are meant to bring joy to both humans and wildlife, so always take time to pause and enjoy the fruits of your labour,' suggests Chelsea designer Caroline Clayton, who with her brother Peter will be designing The ME+EM City Garden in the balcony gardens category. 'I make sure to have multiple seating spots around my garden, even if it's just a lone chair. This allows you to connect with nature and the rhythms of each day.' Gardening doesn't have to be about perfection, insists Chelsea Gold medal winner Tom Massey, who with Je Ahn will be designing the AI-powered Avanade Intelligent Garden. 'Some of the most interesting, joyful spaces are chaotic, full of life, and ever-changing. Don't be afraid to experiment and don't be afraid to fail.' Here are a few thoughts from Chelsea designers to provide inspiration to beginners as they embark on their growing journey. What's one piece of gardening advice you wish someone had given you when you started out? Tom Massey: 'That failure is part of the process. When I started gardening as a child, I felt devastated when plants died – as though I'd let them down. I now realise those early failures were vital learning moments.' Ashleigh Aylett, designer of Navium Marine: Blue Mind Garden at this year's Chelsea: 'I wish someone had told me not to worry so much about 'doing it right' and just give it a go. Gardening is more an art than a science – even if all the experts say 'don't do it that way' sometimes not listening to the rules leads to the happiest surprises. So always give it a try, and remember that experimenting is part of the joy.' Caroline Clayton: 'Choose a few plants that complement each other, order multiples of each plant and plant them in groups repeating your mix, rather than going to the garden centre and randomly picking one of this and one of that. By selecting a few and planting them in larger quantities, you create a flow and rhythm in the planting, rather than it looking disjointed.' What is the hardest gardening task and how do you make it easier? Tom Massey: 'A tool I've found really useful is the Hori Hori knife – a cross between a trowel and a knife. It's brilliant for precise weeding and planting in tight spaces, two tasks that can often be tricky.' Ashleigh Aylett: 'For me, the hardest task is keeping everything watered. I garden on sandy soil, so moisture just vanishes in the summer heat. Even the toughest drought-tolerant plants need some TLC to get established, and lugging the hose around can feel endless. My hack? Mulch really well in spring. A thick layer of compost or bark chips is a bit of work upfront, but it acts like a protective blanket over the soil, locking in moisture and keeping roots cool.' Jo Thompson (designer of The Glasshouse Garden at this year's Chelsea): 'Possibly pruning the huge numbers of climbing and rambling roses that I have in my own garden along walls and pergolas, because they all grow into each other. The pruning pain is worth it, but tough clothes and tough gloves are in order.' Any hacks? Ashleigh Aylett:'If you struggle to keep plants watered, especially in pots, take a plastic bottle, poke a few tiny holes in the cap, and bury it upside-down next to your plant. Fill the bottle with water, and it will slowly seep out right at the roots where it's needed. It's like a simple drip irrigation system. This trick is brilliant for keeping soil moist, and it reuses plastic bottles in a creative way.' Jo Thompson: 'Sheep wool pellets are one of my 12 defences against slugs.' Tom Massey: 'Mulch regularly – it saves a huge amount of time on weeding and watering, and it helps to protect and improve the soil. Group plants by water needs (known as hydrozoning) to make watering more straightforward and efficient. And if a plant is struggling – perhaps it's too shaded, too exposed, or in the wrong soil – don't be afraid to move it. With the right timing and technique, plants can often be successfully relocated.' Caroline Clayton: 'Think vertical. In smaller city spaces, always cover your walls with climbers. It creates a beautiful green backdrop, making you feel enveloped by nature, and it's great for wildlife too.' Eight tips for newcomer gardeners Compiled by Guy Barter, RHS chief horticulturist. 1. Only garden what you have time for. Containers seem an easy option but need much more care and attention than plants set in the garden. 2. Decide your priorities. Lawns are inexpensive and offer good if space needed for children's games, for example. Decide where priorities lie and what time will allow. 3. Check where the sun falls, and where it doesn't. Shady, overgrown gardens look uninviting. Prune or remove large shrubs but retain as many trees as possible – it takes years to get that stature from a new tree. 4. Make a rough plan. Identify dry, sunny areas and damper shadier areas – they both have advantages and disadvantages, and need different treatment. 5. Make friends with your soil. You only need to know if it is sandy and therefore drains freely or clay-like and slow to dry. 6. Look at exposure. Open exposed sites are windy and can harm many plants. They are also uncomfortable to sit in. Plant hedges as soon as you can – they are cheaper and longer lasting than fences, but take a few years to give full shelter. 7. Start with the front garden. A pleasant front garden welcomes you and your guests while pleasing passers-by. Frame the front door with two imposing plants, ideally in the ground to save lugging a watering can around, or in large pots if necessary. For example, a pair of clipped bay trees, two tall but slow growing conifers, or a colourfully berried pyracantha trained against the wall or a post. 8. Take a walk round the neighbourhood. See what grows well in your street. Overcome your British reserve and chat to any gardeners you see. They will be pleased to inundate you with advice including the first and last frost dates and the direction from where the strongest winds blow!
