David Ward, Garden and Nursery Director at BethChatto Gardens UK 8 December 2021

Beth Chatto’s Gravel Garden: the creation of a drought-resistant garden
Dave trained at the Norfolk College of Agriculture and Horticulture and Merrist Wood College, studying nursery practice and worked on various wholesale and retail nurseries in the UK and Holland. He joined Beth in 1983 and became Propagation Manager. He assisted at four Chelsea Gold Medal exhibits and recently contributed extra chapters to reprints of Beth Chatto’s Drought-resistant planting, Beth Chatto’s Woodland Garden and The Green Tapestry revisited. The Gravel Garden is situated in the driest part of the British Isles, with an average annual rainfall of just over 50cm / 20in, less than many parts of the Middle East. Surviving on poor gravelly soil, Beth Chatto’s Gravel Garden is today one of the finest examples of drought resistant planting in the country. Originally planted in 1992 to see if and how certain plants could survive without being artificially watered. The Gravel Garden has evolved to become an inspiration to gardeners faced with similar conditions wishing to create a drought resistant garden. David’s talk guides us through the theory and practicalities of the garden’s creation, its design and ongoing maintenance, as well as a glimpse of some seasonal highlights.

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This was amazing. Thank you for sharing it with the public. I learned a lot from it.