Merrist Wood is one of four colleges taking on the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair College Gardens competition this year. The challenge is to create a budget-friendly show garden, based on the theme of ‘Nature’s Art within the Garden’. The college teams are mentored by award-winning garden designer, Cherry Carmen, whose accolades include a Gold Award at BBC Gardeners’ World Live.
The Merrist Wood entry, Nature’s Gallery, is a woodland garden brimming with creativity, inspired by nature and incorporating features repurposed from around the College campus. Nature has sparked the team’s imaginations, drawing inspiration from spiral plant forms and the Fibonacci sequence as the foundation of their design. The chance discovery of an old cattle hay feeder provided a unique element to shape the garden around. It’s designed as a living piece of art, evolving and changing over time. A fallen tree can transform into a path or a bench, while a rotting stump can become a planter or a plinth. Every element serves as a canvas for nature’s art. The garden also incorporates moments to pause and enjoy the surroundings – the sound of running water, the breeze rustling through trees, a feast of shapes and textures to take in.
Sarah Markham, Business Engagement Specialist at Merrist Wood College, said: “We are excited to bring this vision to life and look forward to showcasing a garden that not only celebrates the beauty of nature but also demonstrates sustainable and creative reuse of materials. We hope our garden will inspire others to see the potential in their surroundings and to embrace the ever changing beauty of the natural world.”
Lucy Tremlett, Event Director at Immediate Live, organisers of the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair, said: “We’re always blown away by the creativity, brilliant design, hard work and effort that goes into creating the College Gardens. We can’t wait to see the Merrist Wood students bring their design to life at Beaulieu. Spring Fair visitors can look forward to a really exciting collection of gardens this year, packed with inspiring ideas to try at home.”
The BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair celebrates the start of the gardening and growing season with its longer, warmer days, new shoots, buds and blooms. It’s a great day out for gardeners and non-gardeners alike, and tickets include access to all of Beaulieu’s attractions, like the National Motor Museum and Palace House. Spring Fair highlights include the headline sponsor’s Hillier Experience with its large, woodland-themed feature garden, advice pods and shop, glorious Showcase Gardens and Beautiful Borders, and the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine stage featuring special guests, Adam Frost (Fri), Arit Anderson (Sat) and – new for 2025 - Carol Klein (Sat and Sun), with the Magazine editors. Stage sponsor, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, return with their popular Plants of the World sessions, hosted by gardening and horticulture expert, David Hurrion.
The BBC Gardeners’ World team will be introducing the ‘Make a Metre Matter’ campaign, designed to encourage as many people as possible to transform one metre of outdoor space for the good of the planet. From tiny ponds and salad patches to compost heaps and pollinator-friendly mini-beds, the collective effect of these nature-friendly metres will be significant. Spring Fair visitors are encouraged to register their campaign metres at GardenersWorld.com for a chance to win £500 or £1,000 of Crocus vouchers. More than 6,600 metres have already been registered. Award-winning garden designer, Pip Probert (BBC 2 Your Garden Made Perfect), is creating a collection of Make a Metre Matter designs to inspire Spring Fair visitors to get involved and create their own.
New for 2025 is the Spring Table, a stylish new space for seasonal food, drink and outdoor décor inspiration. Host Chris Bavin, the BBC food presenter, welcomes guest chefs and mixologists from the Lime Wood and Pig hotels for no-cook recipe demos and cocktail masterclasses. Mushroom experts, Caley Brothers, will be preparing fabulous fungi while floral designer, Jordan Weston, introduces the art of Ikebana flower arranging.
Throughout the Spring Fair, there are hands-on floristry, tablescaping, mushroom-growing and willow weaving workshops to choose from, talks, tours and workshops by plant and food experts, ‘In Conversation With’ Stage chats with gardening personalities, garden shopping, and ideas and plants-aplenty to take home. Visitors can browse and buy seasonal food at the Good Food Market, and there are children’s activities, animals, live music and vintage vehicles. There’s an exclusive Club Lounge for BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine subscribers and Hillier Gardening Club members, and a VIP Lounge for VIP Extra ticket holders.
Tickets for the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair 2025 are on sale now at www.bbcgardenersworldfair.com. Prices are from £17.00 and include access to Beaulieu’s extensive grounds, gardens and attractions, like the National Motor Museum and Palace House. Well-behaved dogs on leads welcome in the outdoor areas.
www.bbcgardenersworldfair.com