– (l-r) William Drake- Manager and joint owner of Hanging Garden Nurseries, Gordon Stuart – garden construction support, Fay Dyke – garden designer and constructor, Julie Drake – Manager and joint owner of Hanging Garden Nurseries
Fay Dyke who has just completed her second year of the BSc (Hons) Landscape and Garden Design course at Writtle College entered Hampton Court Flower Show with a striking garden aimed at attracting vanishing moths and butterflies. ‘Mothing Under Moonlight’ was the aptly given name to her garden exhibited in the Inspiring Spaces category .
Fay took her inspiration for the garden from Sir David Attenborough and his campaign to save numbers of British butterfly threatened with extinction. The 2m x 2m garden with its planting and garden accessories aims to attract butterflies and moths, highlighting the gloriousness of the species.
The garden includes plants such as scented jasmine and lavender, which both physically attract moths and butterflies at all times, while a Yucca filamentosa simply flowers during the day and then at night releases a soapy sent that attracts moths. Also included within the design is a chiminea, which is a garden accessory that once alight will automatically draw moths into its light, reinforcing how simple it could be to accessorise a garden to attract these vanishing species.
Fay’s garden design has been sponsored by Hanging Garden Nursery, based in Writtle, Essex, where Fay works part-time while undertaking her studies, and has done so for many years.
Tel: 01245 424276
emily.patel@writtle.ac.uk