‘There has never been a Cork Oak at Chelsea and now, this year there are two,’ said Peter Dowle, the garden designer behind the L’Occitane garden as we spoke this morning at the Chelsea Flower Show. One stands to the front right of his garden, just out of this shot. It is part of a collection of plants and trees, commonly found in the wild, coastal landscape of the Corsican Maquis, which Dowle has brought together to create the Corsican themed garden. Weather beaten olive trees, butterfly lavender, myrtle, daisies and immortelle, (which fill the air with its warm, spicy, curried scent) also feature at the garden. The link is with L’Occitane’s Immortelle skincare, which uses an extract from this hardy, yellow flower and is sourced from the company’s own, organic Immortelle plantations on the island. The garden feels extraordinarily established. Cast your eye along the path and up to the fisherman’s hut at the top and to its right, a terrace shaded with a pergola. It is subtle, romantic and timeless.
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