The four winds garden was inspired by the journeys of early plant hunters and celebrated the 200th anniversary of the RHS.

The four corners of the earth are represented by gravel circles, areas of contemplation and the planted pathways between them represent the terrain over which the plant hunters travelled on often difficult and highly dangerous journeys.

The garden takes you on undulating paths through an imagined meadow, a boardwalk enveloped by soaring bog plants and an ornamental woodland border to a plant hunters retreat with drying and pressed plants, herbarium specimens, a plant log and photographs of earlier expeditions. At the centre is a pool, the seas, the final journey made by the plants before being brought into cultivation in our gardens.

The garden was designed to be ornamental and evoke particular landscapes but also to provide habitats to attract, feed and shelter wildlife. An important feature was an undulating, stacked log wall, topped with turf and wild strawberries. A pair of ducks set up residence for the duration of the show and the garden was soon filled with birds, butterflies and dragonflys. 

The garden won a Gold Medal and The Tudor Rose for best water garden at Hampton Court.