Charlie Dimmock visits Le Jardin Perdu.Hampton Court Flower Show, 2005

In summer 2005, Le Jardin Perdu won a Silver-Gilt medal at Hampton Court. Visitors to the show could chance upon a garden set within the romantic ruins of an old abbey, neglected for many years. This is where the Knights Templar used to stay and rest during their many campaigns, before setting out across England and the continent. With the demise of the Knights Templar, many abbeys and gardens became neglected, and this interpretation captures the romance and secrets that lie beyond the ruins.

Glimpses of the garden enticed the onlooker to peep through the stone arches, and to explore the fallen masonry, columns, old stone seats and the irregular paving, which led to a lily pond flanked by old trees and invading plants. Designer Claudia de Yong and the Dorset Water Lily Company aimed to capture the essence of the garden with a cross section of plants that can be found across Europe, including tropical lilies and lotus. In Britain and France these plants can survive happily outside in summer. The Dorset Water Lily Company is unique in its portrayal of the diversity of plants that can be utilised in hardy and semi-tropical spots, virtually all grown in its nursery in Dorset without any heat.