Case Study
Suttle Purbeck Stone took centre stage at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May, supplying the stunning stone for a garden that went on to win the coveted Artisan Garden People’s Choice Award 2018.
Created by dry stone wall expert Andrew Loudon and his designer wife Janine Crimmins, the garden was pitched as “a celebration of craftsmanship and tradition drawn from the Arts and Crafts movement”. Commissioned by a private client and given complete creative freedom, the pair produced a space that was both timeless and exquisitely detailed.
At its heart stood a dry stone, half-domed niche, immaculately crafted from Purbeck stone, with a curved sawn seat tucked within. The build showcased cropped walling in various types and colours, riven paving, and coping, all supplied by Suttle Purbeck Stone. The soft, natural stone tones were complemented by a romantic planting scheme of pink and purple roses, foxgloves, phlox and flowering prunus.
California Quarry Manager Nick Crocker and sawyer Matt Suttle, who had previously worked with Andrew on a dry stone walling project at Woodland Burial Ground in Lytchett Matravers, supported the project from start to finish. Nick even visited the Chelsea site the day before it opened to the public, witnessing the garden in all its glory as BBC cameras filmed the scene.
The garden not only charmed show visitors with its craftsmanship and artistry but also captured the hearts of BBC viewers, securing the public vote for the prestigious People’s Choice Award – a fitting tribute to a project rooted in tradition, skill, and the enduring beauty of Purbeck stone.
“The Suttle Purbeck Limestone was chosen for its timeworn appearance and soft colour. It’s durable and easy to work with due to its uniform bed thickness. My wife’s a garden designer, I’m a stone waller, and she really designed the garden to my strengths. We wanted to produce something very traditional and English.”
“Nick Crocker and Matt Suttle were incredibly helpful and supportive throughout this and previous projects. We were given free rein to do it, and we produced something with seating, a gate and pillars – it lends itself to being filmed by the media and is very show-friendly, but it was also inspired by Arts and Crafts style gardens.”
-Andrew Loudon, Dry Stone Walling Association Master Craftsman and Chief Examiner
“We’ve supplied materials to the Chelsea Flower Show on a regular basis – but this is the first time we’ve been involved in a complete project from start to finish. It was a pleasure to work again with Andrew – he’s such a skilled craftsman and he did some fantastic work here with his wife Janine. When I got there, the BBC were filming it with a camera on the end of a gantry – it really was breathtaking to see. It’s definitely been the highlight of the show for me – it was the best example of natural stone at Chelsea this year.”
-Nick Crocker, California Quarry Manager
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