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Andy Sturgeon opens the Pergola at Beningbrough
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Published by David Dunning at 2:57pm 19th June 2018.
Picture - Andy Sturgeon in the Pergola (© National Trust Images / Joseph Priestley)
Award winning landscape and garden designer, Andy Sturgeon opens the Pergola, the first new garden at Beningbrough, ready for visitors this week.
Bathed in sunshine, guests to the event were invited to be the first to step under the oak framed Pergola with its Yorkshire paving and newly planted shrubs.
Andy Sturgeon talked passionately about his vision for Beningbrough and the approach he took to ensure the hall and its setting were respected.
The plan for the Pergola was to transform a forgotten space behind the railings to a comfortable and inviting garden with dappled shade, pockets of sunshine and wisteria festooning the frame.
It’s in its infancy now, as the plants like the Iris ‘Sable’, Aquilegia, Digitalis and Thalictrum grow, the space will gradually become more intimate.
Looking ahead to 2019, work will start to create the Mediterranean garden from what is currently the Italian border. Andy’s vision takes a sensitive and respectful approach, but while there is no archaeological evidence for how the gardens looked, he was able to embrace what is currently there and be forward thinking when working with the garden team, headed up by Sam Shipman.
Speaking about the collaboration with the Trust Andy went on to say,
“it has been a great experience working with the National Trust and I’ve found their visionary thinking very liberating as a designer.”
The Pergola is phase two of Andy Sturgeon’s long term garden transformation. In 2016, as part of the 300th anniversary celebrations of Beningbrough Hall, Gallery and Gardens,
Andy was appointed by the National Trust to create a plan to refresh, improve and in some areas re-design the seven acres.
To mark the 300th anniversary and first in the transformation plan, 300,000 bulbs were planted by supporters during the course of the year which has created a beautiful carpet of pastel tones of purple from crocus, blues from glory of the snow and whites and yellows from daffodils.
Andy is one of the UKs leading designers with over 30 years’ experience and a plethora of awards including six RHS Gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show and Best in Show. Both The Sunday Times, and House and Garden Magazine placed Andy in the Top Ten list of designers in Britain. His influences are wide and varied from art to architecture, set design and the natural world.
About Andy Sturgeon:
Andy is one of the UK’s leading designers having gardened first as a child before designing his first garden as a professional over 30 years ago.
His modern landscapes are noted for their striking architectural and sculptural forms married to a rich palette of innovative planting. Horticulture is paramount.
His influences are wide and varied from art to architecture, set design and the natural world.
Recent commissions include a temporary installation in the medieval Piazza Vecchia in Bergamo, the vast 2.5 acre roof gardens on Battersea Power Station and the redevelopment of Earls Court in West London including a kilometre long public park.
Private gardens range from country estates in England, Scotland and Wales to more compact gardens in London and Bermuda.
Other international projects are in Hong Kong, Rwanda, Europe, Russia and the Middle East. His work is frequently featured on television and in books, magazines and newspapers worldwide.
Andy has won Best in Show and 6 RHS Gold medals at Chelsea Flower Show in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012 and admits that he owes his career to the show.
Both The Sunday Times and House and Garden Magazine placed Andy in the Top Ten list of designers in Britain. Recent accolades include winning the Gardening World Cup in Japan, a Gold Award at the Singapore Garden Festival 2012 and the Governor’s Trophy at the Philadelphia Flower show
Recently Andy opened an office in Singapore under the name ‘Garden Design Asia’. Teaming up with Jim Fogarty, a Melbourne based designer and Stephen Caffyn from Singapore they are able deliver high end projects across the entire region and to capitalise on Andy’s background in tropical and sub tropical planting.
Andy lectures around the world with recent dates in Sweden, Canada, Singapore, Russia and Italy.
He has presented gardening programmes for all the major terrestrial channels including Chelsea Flower Show for the BBC since 2005.
Andy is a freelance journalist and has been a columnist for the Guardian, Daily Mail, Daily Express and Sunday Times.
His first book Planted gave the plodding world of garden publishing a kick up the backside with its ground-breaking approach and fresh outlook and was widely acclaimed both in the UK and abroad. His second book Potted achieved the seemingly impossible by revitalising the tarnished image of indoor plants making them both stylish and desirable. A third book on garden design, Big Plans, Small Spaces was published in spring 2010. A fourth book of his own projects is on the way.
Andy Sturgeon is a Fellow of the Society of Garden Designers and a BALI registered designer.
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