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The First Follies:

First Folly

In 2001 I decided, along with my colleague and good friend Steve, that we needed a Redwood Stone signature design and that a Gothic Folly would be the perfect solution. We loved it but were a little anxious about whether anyone else would get what we were up to! We got a resounding thumbs up.

#redwoodstone #firstfolly #gothicfolly #chelseaflowershow #chelseaflowershow2001 #chelseathroughtheyears #RHSVirtualChelsea #RHSHampton

Tracery with Merit

The Gothic Folly was a last minute decision and we didn’t even have time to make a mould for the Tracery Window head – we took the precious hand carved original to the Show. It looks like the RHS approved with the award of a Merit for Outstanding Presentation!

#chelseaflowershow #merit #rhs #gothicfolly #redwoodstone #chelseathroughtheyears #RHSVirtualChelsea #RHSHampton

Hillier 2002 Andy
Hillier 2002 Ricky

Chelsea superstars Hillier Nurseries spotted the potential of our Gothic Folly and their designer Andrew McIndoe commissioned a Folly for their 2002 exhibit. A man with more than 50 Chelsea Golds under his belt, Ricky Dorlay, prepared the planting.

#rickydorlay #andymcindoe #hilliers #redwoodstone #gothicfolly #chelseaflowershow2002 #RHSVirtualChelsea #RHSHampton

Pergola

We pulled it all together for 2003 with the Folly, the Duke’s Font and some amazing planting by the Hillier team.

#chelseaflowershow #redwoodstone #gothicfolly #weatherstoinework #gardendesign #gardenfolly #chelseathroughtheyears #RHSVirtualChelsea #RHSHampton #hilliers #planting

A behind the scenes view of what it looks like when a crack Hillier team get to work. Putting this montage together has made me quite emotional and I can never thank Sir Robert and John Hillier, Andrew McIndoe and all the team (you know who you are!) enough for all their help over the years.

#chelseaflowershow #redwoodstone #gothicfolly #hillier #sirroberthillier #johnhillier #andymcindoe #gardendesign #gardenfolly #chelseathroughtheyears #RHSVirtualChelsea #RHSHampton

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