BBC Gardeners’ World Live has shortlisted three inspiring landscapers for a prestigious national award, celebrating the best in garden design. BBC Gardeners’ World Live - which takes place from 16-19 June at Birmingham’s NEC - is an inspirational day out for gardening enthusiasts and budding designers.
Each year ahead of the event, The Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) challenges landscapers from across the UK to submit designs for a themed garden, to be in with a chance of being awarded the Best APL Avenue Show Garden. This year, three talented landscapers from Surrey, Cheltenham and Newquay have been shortlisted for the prestigious award.
The winner will be announced at the BBC Gardeners’ World Live event this June. Taking the theme of ‘Work, Rest and Play in a Sustainable Way’, each shortlisted landscaper has designed a unique typically-sized back garden which highlights how you can transform any green space, no matter the size.
Gordius Team Garden Ltd by Gordius Team Ltd, was designed by Surrey-based Anna Pawlowska with a professional family in mind and was intended to suit both recreational and social purposes. The design incorporates a love of nature, which is demonstrated through eye-catching plants and wildlife features, while showing responsibility to the environment through the use of reclaimed materials. Creating the all-important element of privacy for a multi-purpose space, the shortlisted garden features small trees which are used as efficient, yet subtle, barriers between the neighbouring gardens.
Big Fish Landscape’s Memories of Mountains - a Garden Retreat, designed by Cheltenham-based Jonathan King, is influenced by the tranquil and spiritual mountain retreats in China’s Zhejiang Province, which aims to bring a sense of calm to an urban terrace. Surrounded by dramatic planting, the main paved area has been designed with yoga or meditation in mind to complement the tranquility of the stone-lined rainwater pools, which symbolise a balancing pool that collects water which percolates into storage tanks for re-use.
A Cornish dream, Landscapes of Distinction’s Nurturing Through Nature, which has been designed by Newquay-based Kim Parish, is inspired by the world’s experience over the past two years, specifically finding ways of fostering a better work-life balance as more of us move to a more flexible, ‘hybrid’ way of working. The zonal garden blurs the lines between the inside and out for a seamless and natural transition between home and garden. Creating a ‘work’ space, the garden office features a sedum roof and a small living wall filled with house plants. Elsewhere in the garden, Parish creates a space for relaxation and wellness with large doors that open onto an outdoor dining area, which is ideal for relaxing and socialising, while the area is finished with a refreshing plunge pool.
All three gardens will be on display at this year’s BBC Gardeners’ World Live - taking place from 16-19 June at Birmingham’s NEC - with winners being announced on Wednesday 15th June.
As well as viewing a host of beautiful Show Gardens, visitors can expect to enjoy the Floral Marquee with beautiful displays and quality plants to buy, exhibitors of gardening tools and kit and vibrant Beautiful Borders packed with inspiration. Visitors will also experience a variety of live stages with expert advice from green-fingered royalty such as Monty Don, Adam Frost, Joe Swift, Frances Tophill, Arit Anderson, the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine editors, plus Alan Titchmarsh. The BBC Good Food Show Summer also makes a welcome return with moutwatering treats, famous faces and magic moments.