Designer Gardens 2025
The Western Daily Press Cup is awarded for the best garden. The gardens are judged for medals, and there is a People’s Choice Award.
Judges: Lady Rosemary FitzGerald, Sally Gregson & Chris Hull
The designers created these gardens especially for us. The gardens are built in the few days leading up to the show and are dismantled on Saturday evening when the visitors leave. The gardens are designed to show you how much can be achieved in a small space. Please come and talk to the designers who will be very pleased to tell you about their designs.
The Cup and medals will be presented at 1030 on Friday
Julie Haylock: The Jane Austen Anniversary Garden
Sandhurst Garden Design
20 Sandhurst Road
YEOVIL BA20 3LG
07899710168
Sponsors
All Green
Bradfords
Greenshutters Garden Centre
https://greenshuttersgardencentre.com/
GSL
Palmers Garden Centre
The garden celebrates the 250th Anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen, one of the most influential and beloved English writers.
Jane’s novels give us an insight of the English gentry in the late 18th and early 19th century, with strong emphasis on love, marriage and the role of woman defined by the expectations of their social class.
This romantic formal garden enjoys the seclusion of a Fagus Sylvatica hedge on two sides, has a circular gravel path inscribed with the titles of her well known novels, invites you to stroll around the garden past beautiful well-tended borders of blue, white and silver planting, topiary and statues until you arrive at the bench where you can sit for a while and rest.
Central to the garden are the metal arches of the pergola that represent the walls of a once great Regency house, but that now stands neglected, its magnificent ballroom reclaimed by plants. But in your mind you can still hear the music of the orchestra playing at a grand summer ball as you imagine two star-crossed lovers take to the floor to dance the night away.
Caroline Slocombe & Fiona Harvey: The Caring Garden
St Margaret’s Hospice
Heron Drive, Bishops Hull Taunton TA1 5HA
01823 345911 or 07568 429875
The St Margaret’s Hospice show garden is a celebration of our 45-year anniversary of dedicated service. We hope to showcase how important green space is for mental wellbeing by representing the hospice gardens.
Having worked at the Taunton hospice for six years, I have heard so many stories of how the garden contributes to supporting our patients and their loved ones. For some patients, it’s as simple as seeing the birds or squirrels out of their window, others have enjoyed picking flowers, growing tomatoes, deadheading the summer flowers or enjoying the outdoor space with visitors. We have chosen the title ‘The Caring Garden’ because, while we care for the garden, it in turn cares in its own unique way for the people who use it.
The overwhelming feedback I receive is that people love seeing and hearing nature in the garden. And so, plants in the show garden have been chosen for their value to nature, in particular pollinators.
The intended user of the show garden are the patients, visitors or staff. Although we will not be able to represent the accessibility element of our hospice gardens, we hope to represent the feeling of comfort the gardens offer. The colour scheme will have sapphire as a recurring pop of colour, alongside purples and whites. The planting will be informal in style.
All plants included in the garden will be replanted at the hospice.
Russell Giblett: The Andalusian Garden
Russell Giblett: The Andalusian Garden
Russell Godden Studio, 21 Rugby Road, EXETER, EX4 1BH.
07941 993024, info@russellgoddenstudio.co.uk, www.russellgoddenstudio.co.uk
Sponsors
Allgreen
Artisan Tile Company
https://artisantilecompany.co.uk/
Core Landscape Products
Stoneworx Southwest
Virginias Vintage Hire
The garden finds inspiration in the beautiful gardens and landscapes of Andalusia in Spain, a region which faces year-round extreme dry conditions. Andalusian gardens combine Moorish and Mediterranean influences to create serene oases of respite and inspiration, which are colourful and exuberant. As climate change intensifies, periods of drought are becoming more frequent and prolonged.
In the garden, a calm and intimate seating area is set amongst warm terracotta hues, which run throughout the materials and planting, juxtaposing with bluish tones and pops of colour. The planting is drought tolerant and includes fruiting species reminiscent of those used throughout Andalusia. Foliage plays an important role, with aromas and contrasting forms creating an opulent atmosphere with Moorish undertones. Sustainable natural materials are used throughout the garden to create an earthy Mediterranean feel that contrasts against patterned tiling and the planting. Andalusian symbolism and geometry is woven into the materialistic qualities and forms of the garden.
The garden reimagines how outdoor spaces can remain vibrant and welcoming in a changing climate. They need not turn barren and harsh, but can continue to thrive with richness, colour and warmth.