Artisans of Devizes' natural stone is chosen for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Held 23 – 27 May 2023 at The Royal Hospital Grounds, Chelsea, natural stone was at the heart of the Hamptons Mediterranean Garden, in association with Garden Club London. 

‘The idea behind this garden is that it is very much an extension of the home, an outside room, that makes you feel very welcome. You want to live in it and not just look at it', says Filippo Dester, Designer at Garden Club London.

The main focus is on the entertaining area with its ornamental planting, kitchen unit and dining table. ‘Creating an area for conviviality is definitely a key element of the design concept as a dining area gets people together,’ Filippo continues. His Italian heritage has influenced the Mediterranean theme. ‘My culture also informs what I’m used to in terms of planting,’ he says. The design and planting could belong to a larger garden in Tuscany or a garden in the south of England where the climate is similar to a Mediterranean one.

The BBQ area featured a bespoke Taj Mahal marble worktop from Artisans of Devizes, chosen because of its beautiful veining and soft, yet warm, colour palette. 

The dining area showcased Artisans of Devizes' Wychwood Limestone in a Tumbled Finish. Wychwood Limestone was chosen because of its pale hues that go with the other materials in the garden and because it fits the overall ambience. ‘Wychwood has such a lovely texture and we loved the etching on it,’ says Filippo. ‘It’s soft, subtle and elegant, but at the same time it is full of character. We wanted to choose a stone that would work as an addition to the garden but that also create details that stand out and showcase the stone as a feature on its own.’ Artisans of Devizes' bespoke team created beautiful water features out of this same material, that ran around the outside of the garden.

Filippo incorporated Reform Reformed Stone Tumbled Bianco, which is a blend of 60% recycled materials, produced in a carbon-neutral factory. ‘Again, it’s a very lovely texture, slightly rustic but at the same time with a very contemporary look. It also has a recycling and sustainability theme to it,’ he says.