CASE STUDY
In this case study Mike Baldwin from Derby College lead a group of horticulture students in creating an amazing show garden for BBC Gardeners’ World Live. Mike is the Horticulture Lecturer at The Derby College Group.
The garden was designed in collaboration with Derby College and Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust highlighting the Bonsall Field Barn Restoration Project. The students involved were all studying Level 3 Horticulture at the college’s Broomfield Hall campus. The students designed the show garden by drawing on their new knowledge and experience. They also worked closely with The Derbyshire Historic Building Trust.
The imaginative garden featured a restored field barn within a setting inspired by the Peak District village of Bonsall. The design also included dry stone walling which is typical of the area and a limestone path representing the Limestone Way. Significantly, UK native plants form the majority of the planting around a dew pond. It also featured a representation of a disused lead mine featuring T’Owd Man of Bonsall. Planting is in keeping with the area, including a wild flower meadow and ornamentals which thrive on limestone sites.
Creating the show garden was a wonderful opportunity for the students to do a real-life project. They demonstrated a broad range of skills and used the knowledge they had gained throughout their study programme.
The horticulture study programme has been specially devised by lecturer Mike Baldwin. It brought together skills and knowledge in surveying, design, plantsmanship and construction. So, ideal for students who could be looking to establish a gardening business. Mike has now led 36 show garden projects and has been creating show gardens with students for 30 years.
“It is a great team effort, and everyone worked incredibly hard to create the different features of the garden. We spent many hours constructing this ahead of BBC Gardeners World Live. I wanted the students to enjoy every moment of it and hopefully it will inspire them for the future. It is a brilliant garden concept. The students have worked incredibly hard to create the garden and really worked as a team. This outstanding garden is full of highly imaginative planting, great structures and many unique features, which we hope will impress the judges.”
Harrowden’s role was relatively straightforward supplying Meadowmat Cottage Garden wildflower turf to support the project. Cottage Garden Meadowmat® creates flower beds and borders with the grace and charm of an old-fashioned English garden but with a lot less work. Cottage Garden is a beautiful combination of native wildflowers and grasses which can create a vibrant and bee-friendly cottage garden.
If you want to talk over your plans or discuss a bespoke seed mix or turf application please get in touch.
