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Korea wins Gold medal, best Artisan Garden at Chelsea

Haewooso: picture courtesy of the RHS website
Haewooso: picture courtesy of the RHS website

It is the first time that a Korean garden has been shown at the Chelsea Flower Show, and designer Jihae Hwang has been rewarded with a gold medal and the accolade of Best Artisan Garden. Rather like at Cannes, where there’s the main event and Un Certain Regard, at Chelsea there’s the Show Gardens and the smaller Artisan Gardens. With the success this year, maybe Korea can take on the challenge of a Show Garden in future years.

Jihae Hwang in front of the outside toilet, the centrepiece of her garden design
Jihae Hwang in front of the outside toilet, the centrepiece of her garden design

Robert Hillier, the RHS Chair of Small Gardens panel commented:

The Korean garden was amazing. The subject was very unusual for the British mentality but apparently normal in Korea and not a thing that people find humourous. There were certain areas where various materials from Korea and from Devon were used. The garden was beautifully executed and done entirely to brief.

In fact, around 30% of the planting came from Korea, with the remainder sourced from the UK. Nice to know that my own home county provided some of the material.

Jihae Hwang (right) with interpreter and coordinator Narae Oh
Jihae Hwang (right) with interpreter and coordinator Narae Oh

The garden is in a shaded corner of the Chelsea showground, and the location suits the style of garden which lacks the vibrant colour of some of the showier gardens. But among the visitors on the RHS members’ day the garden seemed to be generating more interest than some of the other artisan gardens, and the cognoscenti were genuinely impressed.

A chiggye frame rests against the outhouse in the Haewooso garden
A chiggye frame rests against the outhouse in the Haewooso garden

Links:

Thanks to Louise for the photos

One thought on “Korea wins Gold medal, best Artisan Garden at Chelsea

  1. i am very proud of korean artist Ms. hwang.
    I am also a korean but never liked the idea of emptying bowels in the place where is far from our main rooms were.
    However, it brings me the memory of our old times in Korea and take me to there in where was warm and beautiful.
    Well done Ms. hwang! and many congratulations~!

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