Chelsea Flower Show Media 2021

Finnish Soul Garden – A Nordic Heritage Seaside Garden

Finnish Soul Garden depicts a seaside garden intended to be used as a recreational facility by city dwellers. Situated near a public beach on a secluded peninsula, it features natural Baltic seaside vegetation, sauna and cool-off area. The garden provides an open view to the sea and nearby islands. It is a haven with an atmosphere of relaxation, recuperation and recreation.

The key features are a contemporary Finnish sauna with a vegetated roof and a water feature. The garden recreates the natural green seaside environment and, in the planted cool-off area, the flowers reflect the understated charm of autumn. This communal sanctuary reflects traditional seaside life in harmony with the surrounding nature. The Nordic tradition of seaside life has continued virtually unchanged for centuries.

Finnish Soul Garden | RHS Virtual Chelsea 2021 | Royal Horticultural Society

This garden is a celebration of Finland, created by the first Finn to go
to RHS Chelsea and the first Nordic female designer.

Jaana Husu-Kallio Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

“The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland is delighted that
for the second consecutive year a garden will be designed by the
renowned Finnish landscape designer Taina Suonio at the Chelsea Flower
Show 2020. Ms Jaana Husu-Kallio, Permanent Secretary at the ministry,
said that the proposed garden by Taina Suonio “is a demonstration of the
clean and quiet environment of Finland and offers a unique window to the
Finnish soul”. Finland, which has been at the forefront of declaring the
year 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health has made it a
priority to protect its horticulture and the environment against the
devastating effects of invasive plant pests and diseases in order to
give also future Finnish generations the opportunity to enjoy its
unspoilt nature. ”

BBC VIDEO

2021 RHS Chelsea Glower Show Sept. This is the Finnish soul garden with water and first time new trees .

Finnish Government The UN Year of Plant Health

The world-renowned Chelsea Flower Show with a long history will again be held in London on 19–23 May 2020. Finnish nature will bloom in the spirit of plant health at Finnish Soul Garden designed by environmental biologist, landscape designer Taina Suonio.

“The UN Year of Plant Health is prominently featured at the show as plant health is in fact the main theme of the event. The show’s website gives practical advice to horticulture professionals and gardening enthusiasts on how to prevent plant diseases and pests,” Suonio says.

Finnish Soul Garden has a story to tell. The Finnish seashore garden with a sauna and shore plants indigenous to the Baltic Sea area will be moved to London for the visitors to admire. The water theme with large rocks on the shore complement the genuine atmosphere. The need to protect and preserve pollinators is highlighted by the insect hotel placed in the garden and the green meadow roof on top of the sauna…

Reckless Gardener Magazine

Taina’s design will feature a genuine Finnish wood-heated sauna with vegetated roof containing Finnish coastal native plants that thrive on vegetated roofs in the Finish climate.

The garden depicts a coastal scene and will contain trees of particular interest including the native Karelian Terijoensalava, Salix x fragilis ‘Bullata’ (traditionally used as an ornamental tree in Finland) and a rare Sulkaharmaaleppä and Alnus incana laciniate, both shown for the first time at RHS Chelsea. Viburnum opulus ‘Pohjan neito’ will also feature – Taina explains that this is a real beauty in bloom and attractive in its autumn colour with leaves turning crimson. Overall, the design will consist of plants that depict the striking uniqueness of the Finnish coast.

Incorporating natural Baltic seaside vegetation, the garden aims to provide a haven for relaxation, recuperation and recreation…

All about London

Chelsea Flower Show – Silver Gilt medal winner – Finnish Soul Garden – A Nordic Heritage Seaside Garden

Gardens Illustrated

Intended as a tribute to the efforts of the thousands working in the NHS, ‘Finding Our Way’ is a space in which to reflect on the events of the pandemic. Working with the NHS, UK Universities undertook a huge research effort to find new treatment and vaccines for COVID to help end the pandemic. This garden is an opportunity to thank everyone for all their incredible efforts.

Entering the garden, the sheer imposing verticals of the timber canopy represent the sharp descent into fear at the outset of the pandemic. The rills and pools of water throughout the garden represent the collective efforts of those working together in the NHS and universities. The sounds of the water work in tandem with the warm palette and soft textures of the planting to create an immersive experience.

UPM Plywood

The Finnish Soul Garden is built on elements that are closely related to Finnish identity: sauna, large rocks and natural vegetation; traditional summer flowers and deciduous trees.

The seaside and the opening view to the nearby islands are part of the souls of many Finns. “It is a haven with an atmosphere of relaxation, recuperation and recreation,” describes Taina Suonio, an environmental biologist and landscape designer, who has designed her own show garden at Chelsea Flower Show for the second year in a row. Last year, her show garden was awarded the second highest award, the Silver-gilt.

The Chelsea Flower Show is the leading gardening event in the world. The 2020 edition of the five-day event will be held between 19 and 23 May in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London, UK. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has organized the event in the same place since 1912.

Good News From Finland

Finnish material innovations are backed by fashion giants, sauna makes its way to Chelsea Flower Show, and Discovery snags the European rights for a new adventure TV format. Click on any photo and take a look at recent creativity from Finland.

Brightwater Holidays

For the first time in its 108-year history, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2021 took place in the autumn. With this seasonal schedule change being prompted by the pandemic, the fact that this horticultural highlight was still able go ahead came as a great relief to many.

Kekkilä

Taina is an environmental biologist, landscape designer, horticulturist and researcher in the Fifth Dimension – Green Roofs in Urban Areasresearch group of the University of Helsinki. She holds a BSc in Environmental Biology and a Masters degree in Environmental Change and Policy from the University of Helsinki. Her research concentrates particularly on the environmental change and policy with regard to green roofs in urban areas. She is currently working as chairperson on the Green Roof Strategy of the City of Vantaa, Finland’s fourth largest city, located in the greater Helsinki region.

Decking Network

Decking Inspirations at Chelsea Flower Show 2021

To creatively design and new terrace at the revered Flower Show at any Chelsea takes a brave soul. Your heart is certainly on your sleeve and for all of the world to see. The wrong gap, a splinter or indeed a creaking board and that may be sufficient for the judges to mark you down.

I don’t suspect for one minute that any decking at Chelsea Flower show will be in the hundreds of square metres. It’s more likely to be in a small corner, over a bridge or a mall component in a complex garden arrangement. It’s in these tiny offerings where the most spectacular inspiration can be found.

The decking may not be straight, it may not conform to the norm’ but it will certainly amaze and give food for your future thoughts… Read on and hopefully amaze your quill for your next design.

The English Garden

Garden shows can be an excellent source of inspiration for your own garden, whether you’re on the lookout for brilliant colour combinations, an exciting glut of new plants or the latest stylish garden accessories. One thing they are particularly hot on is ideas for small gardens – the Artisan Gardens category at Chelsea, for example, has a particular focus on smaller garden spaces.

If your garden is on the small side and you’re struggling for inspiration this year, take a look at the below ideas for small gardens. We’ve handpicked a selection of brilliant designs from the recent years of Britain’s most prestigious Flower Show.

Sunday Telegraph by Bunny Guinness

Contact us!

Taina Suonio
MSc Environmental Policy and Change, BSc Environmental biology, Landscape Designer, Horticulturist
Roslings Manor Gardens
Kvarnudden 12
07930 Pernaja
FINLAND

Tel: +358 (0)50 44 35 789

taina.suonio@rmgardens.fi
Business ID: 2526251-7
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