15 August 2023

RHS Flower Show 2023 - Malvern Award Winners

Flower show season is well and truly underway. RHS Chelsea Flower Show, RHS Tatton Park Flower Show and RHS Hampton Court Flower Show are just some of the spectacular flower shows which have taken place already this year. The floral extravaganza is worth a visit. In fact, the shows welcomed visits from royalty and celebrities and while being televised, so you can watch it from the comfort of your own home.

This blog will focus on the beautiful award winning gardens at RHS Malvern 2023 and give you advice on how you can recreate your own.

‘Bee Positive, Bee Kind, Bee Aware’

Designed by Rick Ford and Katie Gentle, the ‘Bee Positive, Bee Kind, Bee Aware’ Garden received a RHS Gold Medal. Their design involved a garden that is both pollinator-friendly and tailored to the environmentally-conscious values of the family.

The garden encompasses various sections for relaxation, cultivation of fruits and vegetables, beekeeping, and cooking.

Recreate the ‘Bee Positive, Bee Kind, Bee Aware’ garden:

Use reclaimed scaffold as a pergola to serve as a functional cover for the kitchen.
Use repurposed wood to provide a comfortable seating area.
Find your local scrap yard for an old trough to house calm, still water.
Use pollinator friendly plants, including Hawthorn hedges, foxgloves, fennel and thyme.
Incorporate the use of any trees if possible to create habitats for insects.
Use the durable and natural looking self-binding ‘Goldpath’ which has been used in this award-winning garden.

You can purchase complete beekeeping kits online here.

The HomeAway Garden

Inspired by Family Holidays to North West Brittany, the HomeAway garden is nestled amidst the remnants of an ancient storage barn and presents a shared haven for both the existing wildlife and its owner to relish.

Drawing inspiration from the surrounding landscape, the garden showcases a central seating area reminiscent of the nearby town. Planted stoney sections pay homage to the rugged coastal headlands, adorned with plants that cling to the cliffs. Dusty pathways, flanked by resilient flora reminiscent of the dunes and coastal trails, guide visitors through the space.

A touch of elegance resonates throughout the garden, evoking elements of French formal and residential gardens. The layout incorporates well-defined paths and hedges, while a harmonious fusion of serene coastal hues and exotic plantings adds a touch of allure

Recreate the ‘HomeAway Garden’

Find a disused bathtub from your local scrap yard or antique dealer.
Use Scottish Boulders and Ocean Blue Pebbles (various sizes) to create a rugged coastal headland feel.
Use Brittany Bronze Sand or Goldpath to create a dusty pathway
Flank the Pathway with resilient flora such as yucca-leaved beschorneria (Beschorneria yuccoides), various agaves, Trachycarpus fortunei, rock dwelling Crithmum maritimum and fennel, along with four feature trees.