Burlington Slate at the Heart of Award-Winning Garden Design
Photo Courtesy of Burlington Stone
CUMBRIA, ENGLAND -- Burlington Stones’ Brandy Crag slate has taken center stage at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025, featuring prominently in the Boodles Raindance Garden, which was awarded a prestigious Gold Medal. Designed by the acclaimed Landscape Designer Dr. Catherine MacDonald of Landform Consultants, the garden is a collaboration between leading luxury jeweller Boodles and Landform’s team of expert craftsmen, horticulturalists and landscape designers. The installation wowed judges and visitors alike with its dynamic design, sustainability ethos and breathtaking natural materials -- led by the striking use of Brandy Crag slate.
Quarried from the Lake District fells, Brandy Crag slate is prized for its warm earthy tones and textured finish, offering a natural contrast to lush planting and flowing water features. For Dr. MacDonald’s Raindance Garden, the slate was not only a structural element but a storytelling device -- evoking the rugged beauty and resilience of the Cumbrian landscape.
“Brandy Crag slate provided both aesthetic and emotional depth to the garden,” said Dr. Catherine MacDonald. “Its subtle color shifts and tactile quality harmonized beautifully with the garden’s themes of movement, water and natural elegance. We chose it deliberately -- for its British provenance and for the sense of timeless strength it brings to the landscape.”
The Raindance Garden, inspired by the choreography of rain and its life-giving energy, featured arcs of cascading water, interwoven plantings and sculptural stonework. At its heart, Cumbrian slate created dramatic grounding platforms more than 1.5 meters in width, winding paths and layered textures that brought balance and drama to the space.
Burlington Stone expressed pride in contributing to what is now one of the most talked-about exhibits at Chelsea 2025. “It’s a real honor to see Brandy Crag slate celebrated on a stage like Chelsea,” said Ian Ramsay, UK sales director at Burlington Stone. “To be part of a Gold Award-winning garden designed with such artistry and vision is tremendous recognition for the craftsmanship that went into these Cumbrian stone installation pieces. It’s also a testament to how heritage British materials can elevate the very best in modern garden design.”
Boodles, known for its handcrafted jewellery and longstanding patronage of British arts and culture, supported the garden as part of its ongoing commitment to craftsmanship, sustainability and natural beauty.
The win is a deserved boost for Cumbria’s slate industry, showcasing how local stone can help define and elevate national and international design. With increasing demand for ethically sourced, environmentally sustainable products, Brandy Crag slate continues to demonstrate its relevance in both contemporary and heritage contexts.
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