Newson Health Menopause Garden awarded Best Show Garden at BBC Gardeners’ World Live

The Newson Health Menopause Garden has been awarded Best Show Garden and a Platinum award at BBC Gardeners’ World Live.

Garden writer, presenter and designer, David Hurrion, presented the show’s top award to multi award-winning designer, Ruth Gwynn, Dr. Louise Newson, founder of the Newson Health Menopause Clinic, and construction lead, Rupert Keys. Awards were presented on the eve of BBC Gardeners’ World Live opening to the public at the NEC Birmingham (15 – 18 June).

Spectacular Show Gardens are a highlight of the annual four-day floral extravaganza which offers inspiration, achievable take-home ideas, and plants a-plenty for gardens of every size and type.

The Newson Health Menopause Garden is designed to be a safe, tranquil and comfortable space for women to reflect on their health, feel a sense of community, and get information and advice from menopause experts. Highlight features have been designed to alleviate symptoms, with an outdoor bath for relaxation, a yoga space for gentle exercise, and an outdoor kitchen for enjoying healthy, nourishing food with company.

The assessment panel of esteemed multi award-winning garden and landscape designers included Andrew Fisher Tomlin (Fisher Tomlin & Bowler), Mark Gregory (Landform) Robin Templar Williams, Kate Gould, Cherry Carmen and Ross Conquest. The panel commended the exceptional quality, innovation and creativity of this year’s Show Gardens.

Show Garden assessor, Cherry Carmen, said: “This was a unique Show Garden and an excellent showcase to raise awareness and to invite people to talk. The space was welcoming, creative and a joy to be in.”

Receiving the award, Dr. Louise Newson said: “To have the opportunity to bring the Newson Health Menopause Garden to life and create a safe, educational space for women has been an amazing experience, let alone to win Best Show Garden, which is an absolute honour. We wanted to highlight the benefits gardening can have on our mental and physical health, especially around the menopause, and are delighted the garden has been recognised by the assessors. I’m so excited about what this groundbreaking and empowering garden represents for women’s health, which has been so neglected and misunderstood for so long. Our ethos at Newson Health is to provide inclusive and accessible menopause support for everyone, and this garden is a tribute to the power of holistic medicine. We are ecstatic to have won this award.”

Designer Ruth Gwynn said: “Menopausal women played a big part in creating this garden, from its design to its planting team. I’m so proud and pleased for the whole team.”

Winner of Best Construction Landscaper at BBC Gardeners’ World Live and a Gold award was Design It Landscapes for the Liz Earle Beauty Co.’s Botanical Show Garden, designed by multi award-winning Lucy Bravington. The garden is a peaceful oasis showcasing perennial plants, including some of those featured in the brand’s skincare products.

Dan Ryan from the West Midlands-based Design It Landscapes, said: “We’re so chuffed, and particularly pleased that the assessors recognised the trees and soft landscaping elements of the design.”

Designer Lucy Bravington said: “I’m thrilled with the result. It’s been a real team effort and an enjoyable build, despite the heat. We hope visitors will love the garden and will take lots of ideas and inspiration away with them.”

Winner of Best Beautiful Border and a Platinum award was first-time designer, Claire Morrell, for … and breathe, a garden escape for mindful rest. The popular BBC Gardeners’ World Live Beautiful Borders offer inspiration for small gardens and challenging spaces, giving designers the opportunity to create compact 9m² show gardens, brimming with imaginative design features and eye-catching planting.

Assessment panel Co-Chair, Richard Barnard from Kings Oak Landscapes, said: “In ten years of assessing the Beautiful Borders, this year was undoubtedly the most outstanding I’ve seen. It’s fantastic to see new designers getting started in the business. What Claire has created is extraordinary and we were intoxicated by the design and planting. It was calming and we could really settle into the space. I hope this will encourage more people to get involved in the Borders.”

Claire Morrell said: “I only qualified as a garden designer last year and this is my first ever show garden so I’m over the moon. My garden is my happy place, so I wanted my border to focus on scent and serenity with a pared back colour palette – a place to relax and breathe. It’s been hard work but such a fantastic experience. The other Beautiful Border teams have been so lovely.”

This year’s Beautiful Borders theme was ’My Garden Escape’. The award for Best Interpretation of the Theme was presented to James Fenneberg for Keep Off the Grass, a drought-tolerant design featuring volcanic sand and dramatic agave plants (Gold award).

James Fenneberg said: “My border has a distinctive theme and I’m really pleased that the assessors reognised its ambition.

Best BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Subscriber Border was awarded to Steven Ballinger for A Quiet Corner. He said: “Everyone needs a quiet corner in the garden to sit and relax. Using textured foliage and stems, my border shows you don’t always need flowers to bring interest. Creating the border has been a real family effort and it hasn’t sunk in yet that I’ve won a Gold award.”

There were awards for BBC Gardeners’ World Live’s floral exhibitors too. The Geoff Hamilton Award for Best Floral Marquee Exhibit was awarded to Grafton Nursery (Eucalyptus trees, Platinum award). Best Display of Late Summer Plants went to Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants (Herbaceous perennials, Platinum award) and Best Retail Area in the Floral Marquee went to New Forest Hostas (Gold award).

Rachel Poletti-Gadd, Portfolio Director – Gardening Division at Immediate Live, organisers of BBC Gardeners’ World Events, said: “Our heartfelt congratulations go to Ruth Gwynn and Dr. Louise Newson for their wonderful design, and to every winner recognised by these awards. The skills, talent, hard work and creativity displayed by the designers, landscapers, construction teams and growers involved never fail to impress our expert judges who know a thing or two about show gardens, having racked up hundreds of awards between them. I have no doubt that visitors will be blown away by these incredible show gardens and displays when they visit BBC Gardeners’ World Live over the coming days, and will go home full of exciting ideas and inspiration for their own gardens and growing spaces.”

BBC Gardeners’ World Live takes place at the NEC Birmingham until Sunday 18 June. Visitors will find inspiring Show Gardens, Beautiful Borders, competition gardens, school wheelbarrows, and Floral Marquee displays to enjoy, with practical advice, talks and gardening conversations from BBC Gardeners’ World TV presenters, BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine editors, and plant and tool experts, plus plant and garden shopping, food, drink and entertainment. Tickets include entry to the BBC Good Food Show Summer, co-located at the NEC, which features demonstrations, workshops and interviews with much-loved chefs like James Martin, Nadiya Hussain, Michel Roux and Ainsley Harriott, and street food, and delicious food and drink to taste and buy.

Tickets for BBC Gardeners’ World Live at the NEC Birmingham are on sale now at www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com and also available on the door.

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