It was fantastic to be back visiting a garden show after the last 18 months! Smaller than usual but brilliant all the same.
The last show was back in 2019 where I designed my first ever show garden which picked up a Platinum medal and Best Construction Award.
We started in the floral marquee which was full of the best of the best nurseries and growers showcasing their amazing displays and stock.

Then we ventured outside to find the Beautiful Borders; always a great place for inspiration and examples of fab planting combinations.
The theme this year was 'Flower Power' so lots of vibrant schemes and powerful messages regarding how gardens and plants can help us. I think everyone realised how important our gardens and outdoor spaces are during the lockdowns!
Afterwards we had a wander down the APL (Association of Professional Landscapers) Avenue of show gardens. Some really lovely show gardens this year with quite strong planting themes. In particular one was predominantly purple another tropical. The tropical theme and warm orange/red colour combinations seem to be here to stay for now. Perhaps everyone is looking to bring a holiday vibe home, as getting away is still so difficult.
Carol Klein was spotted a few times chatting to visitors and enjoying the show between filming quick segments.
The most interesting part of the show for me was seeing The APL's show garden, 'What Lies Beneath', designed by Professor David Stevens. Aptly named to showcase the amount of work that goes into hard landscaping beneath the surface, displaying the layers of materials required to ensure your garden stands thd test of time. 60% of landscaping costs go under the ground. Visitors were able to see cross sections of the buildup of various elements, eg. Green wall, resin bound gravel, porcelain paving, a pond, tree anchor system, aco drain/soakaway. etc.
The garden received a Gold medal and Best Construction Award, well done guys!
We had a brilliant day out and it was lovely to catch up with so many great people from the landscaping world.
We really do work in the BEST industry!
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