“There is a popular misconception that planning a garden is to do with making plants grow and that decorating a house is to do with painting walls. These are important aspects of the styling and decoration of houses and gardens, but they are only a part of the overall picture. Think of your house and garden as a stage set, as a backdrop, and as props for the action, which in this case is not a play but real life.”
John Brookes MBE
Home and Garden Style, (1996)
At the end of September, we created a vignette for the Madehurst Flower Festival which is held bi-annually at the 11th c St. Mary Magdalene Church in nearby Madehurst. A celebration of autumn and part of the local Harvest Festival, the church is filled with flowers and homegrown produce, an homage to the changing of the seasons. Participants this year included professional florists, amateur florists, gardeners, makers, and Denmans Garden.
It was the held the first week of Autumn when temperatures were beginning todrop and daylight hours were already noticeably waning. We chose to highlight the transition from Summer days in the garden to snuggling indoors in cozy warmth, a transition that gardeners (and those who love gardens), is bittersweet. Although we love the smell of fallen leaves and Autumn’s stunning colours we will miss the scent of roses and being outside until last light on balmy evenings, glass and secateurs in hand.
Known for his first book Room Outside published in 1969 and which introduced the concept of using the outdoors as an extension of the house, John Brookes believed that indoor and outdoor style should be linked.
In ‘Denmans Garden: Room Inside’ we celebrate that connection from the indoors looking out, demonstrating that there is nothing like the harmonious coupling of garden views with interior style.
Our vignette depicted an imaginary room with a large window looking out over the Dry Riverbeds at Denmans Garden. Colours and textures outdoors informed those chosen for indoors in the selection of fabrics, and other materials, including plants.
Our purpose was to demonstrate that integrating indoors and outdoors in this way, the garden is a visual extension of the home to be enjoyed year-round, and to inspire viewers to, as John advised, ‘Think of your house and garden as a stage set, as a backdrop, and as props for the action, which in this case is not a play but real life…”
