Gardeners' World Live 2025
Just a garden...
The title wasn’t meant to be ironic; this garden was just something that hopefully many gardeners could relate to.
It was inspired by the idea that a garden should be enjoyable and achievable without breaking the bank. This is something that could be created by anyone with a love of gardening. This was its message - It’s just a garden!
Chair of the Showcase Garden assessors, Professor David Stevens, the internationally acclaimed garden designer, said:
“We were impressed by this very cool, contemporary garden with its elegant upcycled features and a distinctive zigzag pattern that made it appear bigger. The shape, texture and form of the planting brought the garden alive, treating flower as a bonus. The use of leaf mulch in the shady side looked particularly beautiful. This was a fantastic result, created on a minimal budget."
The planting reflected the fact that there may be different growing conditions in different parts of a garden and that the planting should suit these conditions. (Right plant – right place to quote Beth Chatto)
The area to the right of the boardwalk features plants that thrive in full sun and drier conditions. The muted colour pallet was based on various shades of blue and purple enlivened with dashes of white. Grasses created a contrasting soft texture and movement.
The area to the left was more suited to shadier situations. A mixture of various varieties of ferns and hostas, with their different textures and variations of hues, showed that it was possible to create interest using mainly foliage.
The garden incorporated good environmental practices. There were no impermeable surfaces, so water passed directly into the soil and didn’t enter the drainage system. The resilient planting scheme was tailored to the various local microclimates within the garden. The flowering plants provided pollen and nectar for insects, whilst the hedge, leaf litter, and a log pile all offered shelter for insects, small mammals, and amphibians.
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Carleen Osborne Garden Design
Garden Design in the East Midlands.
© 2026 Carleen Osborne Garden Design. All rights reserved.