Sunlight breaking through the trees in the New Forest
Hillier, the most successful exhibitor in the history of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, has announced details of its 2018 garden.
“STIHL Inspiration” by Hillier will take on a more rustic theme than previously featured in Hillier’s exhibits with corten steel throughout, and orange and blue flowering plants will add warmth alongside the traditional feature of Hillier’s mature trees. Hillier holds the record for the most consecutive Chelsea gold medals and hopes the 2018 show will see it receiving its 73rd.
Keen to boost interaction with the exhibit, Sarah Eberle, who is the lead designer for Hillier for the third year running, has deliberately created a walkway through the garden that will provide opportunities for greater interaction with all elements of the exhibit. Demonstrating the broader range of what is on offer within the Hillier Garden Centres including pots, tools and accessories, the garden will be broken down into a number of smaller themed sections where visitors can take direct inspiration for their own gardens.
This year, STIHL, the world-famous garden tool manufacturer, will be a sponsor of the Hillier garden. The theme of the 2018 garden is inspiration and the design will see the two companies uniting to encapsulate the “inspiring future generations” ethos of Hillier which has run through the company since its formation over 150 years ago.
“We are delighted to have STIHL on board as a sponsor this year. Like Hillier, it is a heritage family owned company, and we share the same core values about inspiring gardeners through innovation”, commented George Hillier, who is one of the fifth generation of Hillier family members to be involved in the business.
Discussing the design, Sarah Eberle, who is the most decorated designer at Chelsea said: “It often feels such a shame that gardens have to be seen from a far. This year we’ve decided to counter that! We’ve opened up the garden to allow people to interact with it and take inspiration for every aspect so they can get up close to the planting, see all the intricacies, and smell the flowers! With a love of countryside, and the inspiration that rustic materials brings, this garden aims to excite and inspire visitors as to the possibilities of their own plot”.
“STIHL Inspiration” by Hillier will also feature a varied selection of the famous Hillier trees, water features and ponds, as well as showcasing new and exclusive Hillier plants that will be launched at the show.
Simon Hewitt, head of marketing for STIHL GB, said: “Hillier has a fantastic reputation and its Chelsea exhibit is always such a sight to behold. We’re really excited to be working with Hillier; Sarah’s design for this year is fantastic, we can’t wait to see the garden come to life and see people exploring through the walkway. Fingers crossed for the 73rd gold!”
The STIHL partnership will expand beyond Chelsea with the further announcement that STIHL tools will soon be available in Hillier Garden Centres.
