Caravan rolls in to Chelsea Grass fires
A MARDEN garden designer plans to bring the joys of cara- vanning to the wider public when she exhibits at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show. Jo Thompson has lived in Goudhurst Road,Marden, for 12 years, after moving from Lon- don to give her children more “space to grow”. After a 10-year career in teaching, she started her second career in garden design in 2005 and was soon recognised for her unique planting design skills and named as one of the 10 ris- ing stars in garden design by House and Garden magazine. The garden Jo has created for
this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, “A Celebration of Cara- vanning”, incorporates her vin- tage caravan, Doris, and is based on her own experiences of holi- daying with her children. Doris is a 1950s Fisher cara-
van in its original condition, but stripped down to its bare alu-
minium.Itisthe firsttimeacar- avan has appeared at the Chelsea Flower Show and Doris will be the focal point of Jo’s garden, which is to be “an infu- sion of ice-cream pastels”, with pink and cream roses, salvias, iris and grasses. Jo said: “The garden combines
the latest colours and planting trends with a practical and use- able space. It takes inspiration
idea behind the garden is to highlight the joys, flexibility and freedom that a touring hol- iday in the UK can offer. “Jo’s garden also provides a
pure example of how a caravan canbepartofyourgardende- sign and fit into your daily life.” The RHS Chelsea Flower
Show is one of themost famous gardening shows in the world. Running for five days, it attracts more than 157,000 visitors. The event is run by the Royal Horti- cultural Society, it takes place in the grounds of the Royal Hos- pital in Chelsea, London. Recently tipped as the “de-
Jo Thomson with her vintage caravan, Doris
from a bygone era, of nostalgic family caravanning holidays, a very British pastime.” Jo has taken plants that might
be seen on a walk through the fields and woodland, as well as a selection of herbs which can be used for culinary purposes. “The garden was always in- tended to be a real garden,” said Jo. “A place that people could identify with, recreate at home, a space that you might find at the bottom of your own garden. I hope people find it welcoming, with familiar and traditional plants arranged in a fresh way.” The Caravan Club is sponsor-
ing the display and Lawrence Bate, from the club, said: “The
signer of the moment”, Jo was awarded a gold medal and Best UrbanGardeninShowat Chelsea in 2010 for a courtyard garden she created for the char- ity Thrive. The year before she received a silver-gilt medal for her first ever Chelsea garden. In October 2011, she gained a
silver medal at the Gardening World Cup Japan, and her de- sign for a beachside garden in Sussex was recently awarded The Best Rural Garden Award in the New Homes and Gardens Awards 2011, sponsored by The Express Newspapers and Eco- catalyst. Jo designs a wide range of gar-
dens from tiny rooftop spaces to residential gardens, public spaces and country estates.
spark warning AFTER dealing with 43 grass, rubbish and heathland blazes in oneweek, Kent Fire and Res- cue Service has warned people about the dangers of starting fires in the countryside. With dry weather forecast to continue into the school holi- days, a spokesman said that- fires could easily spread out of control, destroying wildlife and putting people’s lives, includ- ing those of firefighters, and property at risk. Such incidents could divert valuable resources from other life-threatening emergencies, like house fires or road traffic collisions. KFRS head of community
safety Stuart Skilton said: “If you are a parent, we urge you to warn children of the dangers of fire, as well as keeping matches and lighters out of their reach .”
Mobile home plan FRIDAYS Ltd has applied to keep a mobile home at Water Lane Farm, Four Oaks Road, Headcorn. The company has permission
to keep the mobile home on site until March 31, 2012, to super- vise the introduction of a free- range poultry unit. However, theunitisnot duetobecom- plete in time, so the company would like a three-year exten- sion until spring 2015.
To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330
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