The Boodles Secret Garden
Garden designer Tom Hoblyn has partnered with Boodles to create The Boodles Secret Garden, inspired by the recent film of The Secret Garden, which was distributed by Sky Cinema, as well as the well-loved children’s story written by Frances Hodgson-Burnett. This garden is a contemporary interpretation of the journey into an enchanted, life changing sanctuary.
May 2021
From the naturalistic planting in the outer beds of Hydrangea paniculata, Rhus typhina, Miscanthus sinensis and spires of Verbena hastata, you are enticed from a palette of muted greens and creams through a high, intricately carved, louvred oak wall into an enchanted, secret garden brimming with jewel-like plants. Acis autumnalis, Dahlia campanulata and Fuchsia magellanica var. molinae, introduce beautiful, droplet structures and soft pink into the planting, tempting a look into the safe and sheltered space, altogether a more defined area with a wall of climbers.
The garden is encased by a combination of Taxus baccata hedging and a louvre wall created by renowned contemporary furniture maker Jan Hendzel Studio from sustainably sourced oak and timber, found within five miles of Chelsea. The two contrasting surfaces of the louvre reflect the two areas of the garden and personify that life changing journey into The Secret Garden.
British craftsmanship and contemporary design are the foundation for Thomas and Boodles in their designs and has been the bedrock in the creation of this garden. The novel and the stunning natural forms found in the planting has formed the reference for Boodles latest jewellery collection — The Secret Garden. After the show the garden structure will move to the Boodles showroom on Sloane Street and the smaller plants will be donated to a children’s hospice, The Message Trust, whilst the larger plants will go to Great Maytham Hall — the garden that was the inspiration for the book.
Tom's work is underpinned by an innate understanding and knowledge as an esteemed plantsman and horticultural master.
Tom is a British landscape designer, horticulturist and gardener who set up his practice in Suffolk shortly after graduating from The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. His work is underpinned by an innate understanding and knowledge as an esteemed plantsman and horticultural master. His work, whether in a townhouse garden, public space, large country estate or healing garden is rooted by an appreciation and awareness of place in the landscape. An established figure at both RHS Chelsea and RHS Hampton Court, he has been awarded many medals over the years including the coveted People’s Choice Award for his Arthritis UK sponsored garden in 2012 and a nomination for The People’s Choice of The Decade Award in 2020.
He is a member of the Society of Garden Designers, (MSGD) and is currently working on projects including redesigning the gardens at Peterhouse, the oldest college in Cambridge, re landscaping the extensive grounds, lakes and parkland in a private estate in the Cotswold’s, creating a special garden at a children’s hospice in Essex and re-wilding a riverside landscape in conjunction with The National Trust.
The Secret Garden Collection
To celebrate its involvement with the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Boodles has extended its much-loved Secret Garden collection. The collection was originally created to mark the release of ‘The Secret Garden’ film by Sky Cinema in 2020 and has now formed the inspiration behind the design of Boodles’ inaugural Chelsea garden.
The jewellery suites in The Secret Garden Collection have been inspired by key elements of the novel as well as scenes specific to the film. An example is the Laburnum suite, reflecting a moment where Mary, Colin and Dick run through a magnificent laburnum arch. The collection also includes a number of references to snowdrops, and we are delighted to be including Acis Autumnalis (Autumn Snowflake) to the garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show - the first time that this member of the snowdrop family has been seen at Chelsea.
A combination of British craftmanship and contemporary design are central to Boodles’ jewellery collections, and this has been the driving force behind Tom Hoblyn’s garden design. Worth noting also, the wood for the partition has been sustainably sourced from a tree that had been cut down for the HS2 project at Euston – it will move to Boodles Sloane Street as a permanent feature after the show.