Tatton Park Flower Show 2008 Awards and Medals for the show gardens

Updated: 27 Jul 2008

Chris Beardshaw in the garden he designed for the Celebration of Cheshire Gardens 08 at the Tatton Park Flower Show 2008

Best Show Garden: Cheshire's Year of Gardens 08
Best Back to Back Garden: Reaseheath Alumni
Aughton Green Landscapes and the Big Pond Company
Best Display in the RHS/Ball Colegrave National Flower Bed Competition: Conwy County Borough Council
Best Exhibit in the RHS Floral Marquee: Hampshire Carnivorous Plants
Best Exhibit in the National Plant Societies Marquee: North of England Orchid Society
Best Exhibit in the Flora Design Studio: The Black Rose

The Flower Show at Tatton Park is very much the Cinderella of the Royal Horticultural Society Flower Shows and many southerners seem loath to wend their way to the outer reaches of this fabulous part of Cheshire. For those that do go, they know they are in for a treat. The gardens are not big but they always make up for them with acres of inspiration.

'A Midsummer's Day' by Russell Watkins
So there was less of the wildlife meadows or recycled gardens and
depressingly pristine veggie plots, more of the excercising and
hammering out of single strong concepts. Perhaps the subtleties of
gardens at the previous shows of this year were lost on me or perhaps
it was just the exhuberant unhibited friendliness of this show and its
paricipants and organisers that made the displays glow with a familial
warmth.

And for water gardeners it was an especial treat, because water wasnt just a feature in most of the gardens, it was often the dominating feature. The main reason being perhaps that the gardens were smaller and more compact. In fact water gardeners could be excused for thinking that the special section of Water Gardens reserved for the Hampton Court Flower Show had moved to Tatton:
Paul Dyer with 'My Own Little Bit of the Lakes!'

Aughton Green and the Big Pond Company always have at least one big stream and waterfalls to match and were on top form with 'Go with the Flow'.

'A Midsummer's Day' by Russell Watkins was a quiet formal affair with a central square pond and fountain.

Paul Dyer, veteran of Chelsea, Hampton Court and Malvern and one of the great waterscapers in the country had 'My Own Little Bit of the Lakes'.

'East Meets West' by Dan Sterry'East Meets West' was designed by Dan Sterry that had two spectacular water features that blew the power and their transformer when they turned it on - they justly deserved a gold for an innovative design that had elements from East and West and to my mind a little bit from 'down under' and those Aussies that always get to Chelsea!

'At the End of My Garden' was a natural looking stream to end all natrual looking streams. This was for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

An unusual design for what was essentially a water garden that didn't seem to work on paper was the garden 'Always There' by Paul Hensey for the the Samaritans. In actual fact it'Always There' by Paul Hensey for the Samaritans looked brilliant, confidently crafted with flair and with an unusual range of plants. It may not havestuck to the origial brief and therefore was marked down on this, but I would say the end result was better than the garden on the original plan.

'Aqua Life' was more than just a water garden and a water feature, there was also a swimming pond and a paddling pool for kids. This was the perfect 'place at the opposite end of the garden, where you can sit and relax in front of a water featuer in an area that is slightly secluded'.

Geoff Whiten 'Real Life by Brett'.
Geoff Whiten had put in no less than three water features just so that I could mention him on these pages. This was his 'Real Life' Garden for Brett. There is a touch of class about Whiten designs with straight forward practicality. It comes with his lifelong varied experience which has mellowed him like good wine.

Jackie Knight was back with 'Natural Distinction' carrying on the family tradition of great waterfeatures - no trade mark bridge this time, just strange oak arches and a shelter from Handspring Design Studios.

This year was a year a particular year to celebrate because it was the 10th show to be staged at Tatton and also it was the Year of Celebrating the Great Gardens of Cheshire (designated Celebrating Cheshire's Year of the Gardens 08). Among those gardens that were designed to pay especial tribute to the occasion was Chris Beardshaw's simple creation with the stunning plantsmanship of Peter Dowle Plants and Gardens and also the craftsmanship of Jes Oughton Landscapes. For its immaculate and seemless presentation it received a Gold Medal and Best in Show Award. No water feature though.

Show Garden Awards

Gold

Chris Beardshaws Garden at Tatton Park Celebrating Cheshire Gardens 08

'East Meets West' by Dan Sterry.: The contemporary side with formal box hedging

The Zen style garden and moon window.

Chris Beardshaw for Cheshire’s Year of Gardens 08 D25
East Meets West by Urban Vision Partnership Ltd & Casey Group of Companies C57

Silver-Gilt

The Adlington Relax and Reflect Garden by Dan Milner. An outdoor room for the over 55s.: It contains a number of reflective pools and a water cascade.

'Real Life by Brett' designed by Geoff Whiten.

'Natural Distinction' by Jackie Knight Landscapes

'Always There' by Paul Hensey for the Samaritans: the sump to which water flows under the bridge from the pond.

The Adlington Relax and Reflect Garden for Adlington by Dan Milner C68
Real Life by Geoff Whiten for Brett Landscaping and Building Products in association C65
Natural Distinction by Jackie Knight Landscapes C64
Always There by Paul Hensey (Elysium Gardens and Landscape Design) for North West Samaritans C59

Silver

'Go with the Flow', Aughton Green Landscapes and the Big Pond Company	'Cheshire al Fresco' by Candy O'Connell Garden Designs	'Tales From a Chinese Garden' by Manchester Metropolitan University.
Part of the 'Teenage Cancer Trust Garden - Punk's Not Dead' by Jon Tiley	'At the End of my Garden' by Toby and Stephanie Hickish for Marie Curie Cancer Care.	'Aqua Life' by Phillippa Probert

Go with the Flow Aughton Green Landscapes & The Big Pond Company A2
Cheshire Al Fresco by Candy O’Connell Garden Designs C56
Tales from a Chinese Garden by Manchester Metropolitan University and Manchester Institute for Research and Innovation in Art and Design, Ed Bennis and Prof. John Hyatt for Cheshire’s Year of Gardens 08 C69
Teenage Cancer Trust Garden – Punk’s Not Dead supported by Magnus Ltd by Jon Tilley of Dragonfly Garden Design A6
At the End of my Garden Toby and Stephanie Hickish Marie Curie Cancer Care supported by Wesleyan Assurance Society C58
Aqua Life by Outer Spaces C60

Bronze

'My Own Little Bit of the Lakes!' by Paul Dyers Very Interesting Water Feature and Landscaping Company	'Hot Dry Days' by Clive Mollart for Easy Tropicals and August Garden designs	'Cultivating Young Minds' by Philip Hinchcliffe of Just Living Gardens Ltd
'Lucifer (Talk of the Devil)' by Clive Scott	'The Cool Garden' by Jane McNeela and Alison Ryan for South Lakeland Parks	'Aqua Life' by Phillippa Probert and Outer Spaces

My Own Little Bit of the Lakes! By Paul Dyer’s Very Interesting Water Feature & Landscape Company A7A
Hot Dry Days by Clive Mollart for Easy Tropicals & August Garden Designs C63
Cultivating Young Minds by Philip Hinchliffe of Just Living Gardens Ltd C62
Lucifer (Talk of the Devil) by Clive Scott A7
The Cool Garden by Jane Mc Neela and Alison Ryan for South Lakeland Parks C66
A Midsummer’s Day by Russell Watkinson Landscapes A5

Back to Back Gardens

Gold

'The Lake District Poet's Garden' by Andrew Loudon and Beetham Nurseries

'A Garden for Bees' by Ness Botanic Gardens for Cheshire's Year of Gardens 08

'5 a Day with Hidden Play' by Margaret Mc Donough, Jim O'Rourke and Catherine Wright

'Paradise Isle - A Western View' by Sam Youd

' The Sculptor's Garden' by Graham Bodle

The Lake District Poet’s Garden by Andrew Loudon B57
A Garden for Bees by Ness Botanic Gardens – Cheshire’s Year of Gardens 08 D25A
5 a Day with Hidden Play by Margaret Mc Donough, Jim O’Rourke and Catherine Wright for Reaseheath Alumni D88
Paradise Isle – A Western View by Sam Youd the Head Gardener of Tatton Park – Cheshire’s Year of Gardens 08 D25C
The Sculptor’s Garden by Graham Bodle for Walkers Nurseries Ltd E64