The ‘Fettercairn Wilderness Retreat’ is designed as a balcony garden that captures the essence of Scotland’s rugged landscape while incorporating elements inspired by the distillery’s whisky-making heritage. The garden will be unveiled at the prestigious show running from May 20 to 24 within the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
Scottish Wilderness Meets Urban Living
Designed by Sonia Kamel, Sally Giles, and Helier Bowling – collectively known as ssh scapes – the garden recreates the wild beauty of the Cairngorms on an urban balcony setting. The designers drew inspiration from a visit to the distillery and surrounding landscape.
“I stumbled upon Fettercairn Distillery on a wind-swept visit to the north of Scotland and was transfixed by the colors, textures and of course, flavors I found there,” said Sally Giles of ssh scapes. “The heritage of the distillery itself shines through, particularly in terms of the copper and oak. This garden is a retreat from the indoor, urban lifestyle with the resident able to simply shut the door behind them and find themselves in the elements.”
The garden features a striking copper bathtub for cold-water plunges, referencing the distillery’s unique copper cooling ring. Oak seating made from wood sourced from the Fasque Estate sawmill where the distillery is located provides a natural complement to the metalwork.
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Fettercairn Distillery Natural Heritage and Sustainability Focus
The planting scheme represents various plant life native to the Cairngorms wilderness, including Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine), Cytisus, evergreen Erica, and hummocks of grasses – all species that can withstand extreme weather conditions similar to those on an exposed city balcony.
“Our Cairngorms distillery is located in what’s often called the Garden of Scotland and this partnership for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is a celebration of that,” said Lucy Joss, UK Brand Manager at Fettercairn. “Fettercairn has a 200-year-old history of flavor-led innovation and this is something that comes across in this striking garden. We look forward to seeing it unveiled at the show but also to welcoming it to the distillery itself, where it will sit alongside our newly planted Fettercairn Forest of Oaks.”
After the show concludes, the garden will be relocated to Fettercairn Distillery in the Cairngorms, where it will join other environmental initiatives including the Fettercairn Forest of Oaks. In 2021, the distillery planted 13,000 oak saplings on the Fasque Estate, creating both a wildlife haven and a future source of oak for whisky casks.
The Fettercairn Wilderness Retreat can be found at site number SE802 at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
