Garden stand: HC721 A, B & C

Brand USA, the destination marketing organisation for the United States, together with partners Austin CVB, Charleston Area CVB and the state of Oregon, has announced a Fourth of July garden party theme to celebrate the three unique gardens at this summer's RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.

The 'Great Gardens of the USA' consisting of The Austin Garden, The Charleston Garden and The Oregon Garden will showcase a Fourth of July party in the truest sense, with live music from Austin acoustic singer and guitarist, Carson McHone, who will play some tracks to bring a piece of "The Live Music Capital of the World" to the show. With her Texan tunes and cowboy boots, McHone embodies the hip city of Austin.

Meanwhile, The Charleston Garden will be showcasing something a little more traditional as guests from the USA embody southern charm and don historical costumes of plantation-era traditions. Oregon wines will be served on each garden throughout the day on Monday 4th July.

All three Great Gardens of the USA have been designed by UK-based designer Sadie May Stowell, who previously worked on the award-winning gardens last year with Brand USA. This is the first time in RHS history that a designer has built and implemented three gardens for judging and through the bespoke gardens Stowell hopes to bring to life the diverse culture and stunning landscapes of each destination.

The Austin Garden is designed to capture the natural beauty of the landscape and gardens in and around Austin, Texas. The design takes inspiration from the Lady Bird Wildflower Centre, Blackland Prairie and Edward Plateau incorporating the plants and habitats of these areas. Corten steel and sandstone, materials commonly used in the region, are incorporated into the design. A structure made from aged, rusting scaffold poles topped with corrugated iron, and a water feature constructed from blocks of natural stone set in a circle supporting a Corten steel bowl form focal points. Pathways in the garden will be constructed from crushed stone and will reflect the colours of the natural stone found in the region, with boulders creating a feeling of the Texan landscape. Planting will include Echinacea, Acacia, Agave, Ratibida, Coreopsis.

The centre-space Charleston Garden is designed to capture the spirit, charm and elegance of Charleston, while offering a sense of the history, the sub-tropical climate and the atmosphere of this southern city. The design takes its inspiration from Charleston's famous hidden gardens and incorporates iconic elements such as wrought iron gates and railings, as well as rendered walls. The use of crushed oyster shell, brick and broken stone will further anchor the design and give it authenticity. Walls and wrought iron railings will encompass the garden on three sides, providing visitors to Hampton Court with a view over the railings as if they were glimpsing one of Charleston's beautiful hidden gardens. A pair of ornate benches and a water feature set against the back wall will provide a central focus. The planting will display a rich tapestry of greens and will include sub-tropical plants.

Meanwhile, the adjacent Oregon Garden is designed to capture the natural beauty of the landscape of Oregon and takes inspiration from its mountains, wine country and scenic gorges. The backdrop of the garden will be formed by rocky outcrops which will be planted with conifer trees as a cascading water feature flows down. With pathways constructed from crushed stone, the central garden area will be lined with grape vines representing the many vineyards found in the state. Planting will include selected species, such as Lupins, Sidalcea, Tellima grandiflora, Gallardia, Deschampsia caespitosa and Achillea.

Running from 4th – 10th July, the garden show initiative takes place as Brand USA prepares to celebrate the centennial of the National Park Service on 25th August 2016.

www.VisitTheUSA.co.uk for more information

on a variety of travel and garden experiences in the United States.

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About Brand USA

Brand USA, the destination marketing organisation for the United States, was established by the Travel Promotion Act as the nation's first public-private partnership to promote the United States as a premier travel destination and to communicate U.S. entry/exit policies and procedures to worldwide travelers. The organisation's mission is to increase international visitation to the USA in order to fuel the U.S. economy and enhance the image of the United States worldwide. Formed as the Corporation for Travel Promotion in 2010, the public-private entity began operations in May 2011 and does business as Brand USA. According to studies done by Oxford Economics, Brand USA's marketing initiatives over the past two years have resulted in an incremental increase of 2 million visitors to the USA and a total impact on the U.S. economy of nearly $15 billion in spending, which has supported 50,000 new jobs each year.

For industry or partner information about Brand USA, visit www.TheBrandUSA.com. For information about travel experiences in the United States, please visit Brand USA's consumer website at www.VisitTheUSA.co.uk.

Press Day – Monday 4th July

For Press Day passes please contact Sarah Bolam on sarahbolamcommunications@gmail.com

Interviews

Interviews can be arranged with Sadie May Stowell. To arrange please contact Allie Williams – awilliams@thebrandusa.co.uk / 020 7845 6384

Brand USA

For further press information on Brand USA, contact Sarah Barnett – sbarnett@thebrandusa.co.uk / 020 7845 6378 and Allie Williams – awilliams@thebrandusa.co.uk / 020 7845 6384

Further detail on the gardens can be found on the RHS website:

The Austin Garden: www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-hampton-court-palace-flower-show/exhibitors/2016/gardens/World-Gardens/great-gardens-of-the-usa-the-austin-garden

The Charleston Garden: www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-hampton-court-palace-flower-show/exhibitors/2016/gardens/World-Gardens/great-gardens-of-the-usa-the-charleston-garden

The Oregon Garden: www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-hampton-court-palace-flower-show/exhibitors/2016/gardens/World-Gardens/great-gardens-of-the-usa-the-oregon-garden