Thousands of visitors flock to Beaulieu in the New Forest for this annual celebration of spring gardening, growing and outdoor living, all on the lookout for inspiring ideas and a plant or two to take home.
Best College Garden and a Platinum award went to Horticulture and Landscaping students from Merrist Wood College in Worplesdon near Guildford for their garden, Nature’s Gallery. This nature-inspired woodland design features spiral forms and repurposed materials. A cattle feeder reclaimed from the college campus provides the garden’s central element.
The BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair champions next generation horticultural talent with its College Gardens competition. Student teams from leading horticultural colleges put their design and build, project management and teamwork skills to the test to create an eye-catching, budget-friendly garden.
Capel Manor, Weymouth and Kingston Maurward, Merrist Wood and Plumpton Colleges took on this year’s challenge with a creative theme of ‘Nature’s Art within a Garden’. The teams were mentored by Cherry Carmen, the award-winning garden designer whose accolades include a Gold Award at BBC Gardeners’ World Live.
On the Spring Fair’s panel of expert show garden assessors were multi award-winning garden designers Richard Barnard (Kings Oak Landscapes), Shaun Beale (Woodslee Landscapes) and Alexandra Froggatt (Alexandra Froggatt Garden Design), and editor at large at Garden News, Ian Hodgson. The Spring Fair’s Floral displays were assessed by expert horticulturalist, Rupert Eley from The Place for Plants in East Bergholt, Suffolk.
Chair of assessors, Ian Hodgson, said: “Merrist Wood College's team effort shows how an idea can be transformed into an awe-inspiring garden. Recycled structures were used innovatively throughout, like the cattle feeder seating area and pond – all set in exquisite woodland. These students show that the future of garden design is in safe hands.”
Jo Manser, Group Director of Merrist Wood College’s land-based facility said: “We’re extremely proud of the learners’ achievements this week, not just with the Platinum award but with the attributes they have shown throughout the creation of the garden. These attributes are embedded throughout our learning philosophy, showing the skills learners will need in their future careers.”
Meeting this year’s Spring Fair winners and runners-up on their gardens, BBC Gardeners’ World presenter, Adam Frost, said: “I don’t envy the assessment panel this year. It’s a really tough job judging these gardens and there are some fantastic ones to see here at Beaulieu this year. As a garden designer myself, it’s always great to see how the creative process works, from initial idea to putting the final touches to the garden on site.
"No matter whether you know everything or nothing about gardening, there is so much inspiration, enthusiasm and expertise to be found here at the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair. You’re sure to go home excited to get out in your own garden and plant something new.”