Pershore College 2016 – Young Gardeners of the Year
Pershore College 2016. From left: Mike Roberts, Stefan Staveley. Paul Bearcroft, Francis Nicholls, David Rumble, Jack Brazier, Carol Smith, Nick Russell, Sophie Lewis, Lucienne Cross and Megan Jones.
Visit Pershore College’s website.
Come and see the Young Gardeners show gardens at the Ideal Home Show in Olympia, London from 18 March – 3 April.
Show Garden Design – The Path to Discovery
Tell us about your garden
Our garden is inspired by the geometry found in plants, namely the Fibonacci sequence and the ‘curve of life’.
These mathematical patterns have been used in art, architecture, science and technology for thousands of years. And they have influenced the way humans view beauty and the idea of perfection.
The pergola design is based on the structure of a leaf and the shape casts a beautiful shadow on the ground beneath it. This encourages the viewer to break the habit of looking down when walking, and to stop and appreciate their surroundings, truly taking in the natural beauty around them.
We have also created an area of vertical planting, which is crucial space to use in urban gardens. The spiral shape is a mathematical depiction of the ‘curve of life’. We have planted it with Sempervivums, which demonstrate this sequence in their leaf arrangement.
We have also made use of repurposed industrial materials such as steel, glass and plastics to demonstrate some of the many ways to create a sustainable, modern and stylish garden space.
Any other interesting features?
The walls and planters are clad with rusted sheets of steel which were obtained as a waste product. We have created a layer of superficial rust on the surface of this steel for two reasons. Firstly it produced a rich and colourful backdrop to offset the vibrant greens of our plants.
Secondly, it will protect the steel from further natural rusting which could compromise its integrity. We believe this is a low budget way of creating a modern and unique sense of luxury which is highly adaptable to personal tastes.
To encourage and support nature and wildlife in an urban setting we have created a series of small bug houses set into a side wall. These houses are filled with the materials which encourage and invite insects beneficial to plant life, and provide habitats for the small, unsung heroes of Britain’s gardens.
The hexagonal shape represents the genius way nature utilises space, as shown in bee hives. These shapes are mirrored on the opposing wall where we have incorporated built-in shelving areas.
Tell us about the planting
To create a clean, luxurious and vibrant space we have opted to use predominantly green and silver plants, focusing on the beauty and diversity of foliage.
Many of the plants we have selected demonstrate the intricacies of plant structures with their patterns, leaf arrangements and textured foliage. For example, Dryopteris fern fronds add a softness when paired with the thick, glossy foliage of Fatsia japonica.
The planters bordering the steps into the garden will be filled with scented herbs, which will release their calming perfume when you brush past them.
We have included some flowering plants within a limited colour range which we feel contrasts perfectly with the orangey hues of the walls and planters. The blooms of these plants lift the eye and add a splash of life and vitality to the garden.
How is the garden educational?
We believe that all people, regardless of their previous experience with plants, will be inspired by the geometrical themes and how they are found throughout nature and manmade environments. We hope it will inspire them to feel a wider sense of appreciation for nature, in the same way it has for us.
We, as the younger generation, have become accustomed to receiving our information in an immediately accessible manner. As it is this generation who will shape all of our futures, we have incorporated a modern and exciting way of teaching people about plants using QR coded plant labels. These labels, when scanned using a smart phone, will direct the user to an online catalogue of all the plants used in our garden with images and a little information about each plant.
This allows everyone to leave the show with a piece of our garden, a little new knowledge, and the first step on the path to discovery.
Award: Gold Medal
Pershore College was awarded a Gold Medal by the judges.
See our gallery of the finished gardens.
Get the best small garden design ideas.
See our photo gallery from the competition.