RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2009

Deserts Delight

A relief from the blazing, arid heat of the desert that surrounds it, this calming, tranquil oasis is lush with exotic planting from around the world.

The sound of trickling water soothes the mind and cools the atmosphere, creating a restful and relaxing haven. A stilted house captures the cooling breezes and offers a comfortable area in which to sit and contemplate. The entrance transports the exhausted traveller from an extreme environment to a luxuriant, fertile place, where the spreading leaves of the palms and bananas offer respite from the intensity of the desert.

Key Specimen Plants: Trachycarpus fortunei, Musa basjoo, Crocosmia lucifer, Dicksonia antartica and Philodendron selloum.