Top gardeners take home prestigious awards at BBC Gardeners' World Live
Back and as big as ever, BBC Gardeners’ World Live has kicked off its four-day garden-extravaganza at Birmingham’s NEC with the announcement of the ‘Best in Show’ award winners.
The prestigious awards showcase the top gardens, designs and landscaping with winners across a number of categories, including Best Show Garden, Best Beautiful Border and Best Construction Landscaper.
Portfolio Director for BBC Gardeners’ World Events, Rachel Poletti-Gadd, said: “We are so thrilled to be back in Birmingham for another huge show!”
“Over the last couple of years, we have all come to realise the importance of outdoor space and the show is testament to that. To be able to bring this to life for everyone from gardening enthusiast to budding designers has been a joy and we couldn’t have done it without the support of some of the best garden designers, landscapers, experts and exhibitors in the UK.”
The organisers are delighted to announce the 2022 Awards.
Show and Feature Gardens
PLATINUM
- Frances’ Garden – by Frances Tophill
- Marshalls Garden: Food For Thought
- Grundy’s Farm (The Archers) designed by Paul Stone
- The Hideout (Peaky Blinders) designed by Alexandra Froggatt
GOLD
- Small Space – Big Ideas by Garden Organic, Emma O’Neill and Chris Collins
SILVER MERIT
- Old is Gold – by Anna Pawlowska and Gordius Team LTD
- The Memories of Mountains Garden Retreat - by Jonathan King and JKD Studio
- Nurture Through Nature – by Landscapes of Distinction and Kim Parish
- The Living Landscape – A Nostalgic Experience – by Garden Design Co and Michael Wheat Group
SILVER
- Practically Plastic Free – by Pip Probert
BRONZE
- Metamorphosis – by Derby College and Rachel Pratt/Mike Baldwin
The accolade of Best Show Garden was awarded to Frances Tophill for Frances’ Garden. In her debut Show Garden, Frances Tophill’s Bauhaus inspired sustainable garden shows how to use locally sourced, reclaimed and recycled materials to demonstrate how gardeners can maximise outdoor space without compromising on design. Frances’ passion for upcycle gardening and sustainability is reflected in her sustainable, post-industrial styled garden which uses her expertise to highlight how effortlessly plants can intertwine with a stylised landscape, helping to increase biodiversity in our built-up spaces.
Frances said: “I’m so pleased that my design has been awarded the best show garden – it came as such a surprise. I’m completely overwhelmed by the positive response it’s had so far.”
The Best Construction Landscaper was awarded to Living Landscapes - A Nostalgic Experience. The show garden explores the expression of a controlled landscape merging into a natural and rugged environment with a full-sized natural swimming pond. Inspired with the whole family in mind, it showcases ideas to blend a multi-functional space.
Beautiful Borders
PLATINUM
- The Crinkle-Crankle, Dead Hedge Border – by Cathy Perry
- Jungle 365 – by Kate Suttle
GOLD
- Pretty Wild – by Jordan Weston, The Bearded Botanist
- Express Yourself – by Carly Tong
- To Anchor a Wild World: Through the Eyes of a Child with Autism – by Angie Tolley, The Barefoot Gardener UK
- (We Deserve A) Wildlife – by Kitty Chew
- Recall, Return, Renew – by Sue Arthur and Ian Potts
- Where the Wild Things Are – by Zoe Cook and Trellis Design
SILVER MERIT
- There’s an alternative to the green desert - by Aaron Marubbi and Marubbi Landscapers
- Equatorial Suburbia – by Rachel Glover
- Living the Wild Life – by Charlotte Jones, The Northern School of Gardening and Grant Horticulture LTD
- Overcoming Barriers – by David Magor
- Poetry Pharmacy Physic Garden – by Esther Cooper-Wood, Laura Clark, Liz Colebrook and Alex Valk
- Wildlife Oasis – by Louise Carson and Lou Carson Garden Design
BRONZE
- Wildlife Habitat – by Lorraine Brodrick and Cotswold Garden Designer
Special recognition – PCF’s Eco-Friendly Community Garden – by Kathryn Westcott
The honour of Best Border was awarded to The Crinkle Crankle, Dead Hedge Border by Cathy Perry. Central to this border is a dead hedge which forms the backdrop to naturalistic planting. Mixing wild and cultivated plants, the design emanates an English summer hedgerow providing for the needs of a range of beneficial creatures.
The Best Interpretation of the Border Theme went to (We Deserve A) Wild Life – Kitty Chew. The garden is in celebration of women, both past and present, inspired by several recent tragedies in the news that have affected women. The garden features a colour palette making use of the colours of the Suffragette Movement transitioning into a celebratory riot of pinks and reds.
The Best BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Subscriber Border was awarded to Recall, Return, Renew by Sue Arthur and Ian Potts. Returning to the way they experienced nature as children, the designers brought to life how to renew landscapes for a better future.
Celebrating 100 Years of the BBC
In this special centenary year for the BBC, the Show’s Floral Marquee has marked the celebrations with a collection of stunning floral features inspired by popular BBC programmes, including Only Fools and Horses by Jon Wheatley, Antiques Roadshow by Grafton Nurseries, Dr Who by Dibley’s Nursery, The Repair Show by Hardy’s Garden Plants, Gone Fishing by Lincolnshire Pond Plants, and Top of the Pops by Sam Theakstone.
Platinum Award winner Alexandra Froggatt said: “I couldn’t resist designing a Peaky Blinders inspired feature because I absolutely love the TV Show.”
Alex continued, “For inspiration I visited the Black Country Living Museum, which seemed like a natural step when building the design and an effective way to add authenticity to the design. I introduced the use of whiskey barrels, the industrial landscape, coal and chains to bring to life all of the characters and their lives within the show.”
The four-day BBC Gardeners’ World Live show opens today and runs until 19 June at Birmingham’s NEC, providing an inspirational day out for all gardening enthusiasts of all ages. Filled with award winning and contributing garden designs, interactive on-stage demos, live entertainment, shopping, and appearances from the UK’s favourite gardening presenters.
Tickets available on the door, and children go free on Sunday 19 June – the perfect Father’s Day treat for the whole family.
For more information and to book tickets to BBC Gardeners’ World Live, please visit www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com