A BUDDING garden designer has been recognised for his innovation at the 30th anniversary of a popular festival.
Harry Dean, of Winsford, took part in the ‘Creative Corners’ competition at last weekend’s Garden Festival at Arley Hall.
The former Reaseheath College student took home two accolades in the new competition, which aimed to promote young talent and was popular among the two-day festival’s thousands of visitors.
As well as receiving a silver medal for his garden ‘Leaf It Out’, Harry beat out younger gardeners and landscapers from across the North West to take home the overall award for innovation.
Harry said: “This has been a great competition, and I’d like to thank the Arley Hall team for giving us the chance to demonstrate to the public what we can do.
“The festival had a very friendly atmosphere and a nice local feel, while supporting many local craftspeople and businesses.”
The 20-year-old’s show garden was a practical container garden, showcasing creative and innovative ways of growing edible and ornamental plants while promoting recycling and sustainable gardening practices.
Judges Paul Cook, curator at RHS Harlow Carr, and Callum Corrie, winner of the Young Designer award at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 2024, were impressed with the ease with which the garden connected with home and indoor lifestyles through the inventive use of structures such as a clothes rack, sink and easel.
Harry, who studied landscape architecture at Reaseheath, works as a garden landscaper for Acorn Landscape Services of Knutsford, which was among this year’s sponsors of the show, along with Steel and Scape, Step In, and Winsford Sustainability Group.
Another Reaseheath horticulture student, Carl Gerard, was also successful in the new competition, winning a gold medal for his ‘Urban Oasis’ garden.
For more information about the competition, you can head to their webpage or Facebook.