Award Winning Show Garden Back In The Spotlight

Post date: 22 Mar, 2019

With the first of this year’s big flower shows kicking off in three weeks with RHS Cardiff there is a buzz of excitement spreading and the show garden announcements are coming in thick and fast. As many designers are busy planning and prepping for their upcoming show gardens, one designer is completing the build of her show garden for the second time in a year.

Since winning gold at last year’s Harrogate Flower Show, Lorna Batchelor of Yorkshire Garden Designs has been busy relocating her award winning garden ‘Eden’ to Henshaws Arts & Crafts Centre in Knaresborough.

Inspired by the biblical account of the garden of Eden, Lorna developed her garden design around the same time as she was working on plans to develop a woodland sensory garden at Henshaws Arts and Crafts Centre with stone mason Johnny Clasper. The sensory garden would include the textures of natural stone and the sound of flowing water, elements which easily became a part of the Eden garden design.

Boulders, Highland Cobbles, Scottish Beach Cobbles and Grey Quartz Paddlestones

were donated by CED Stone Group for the show garden and its permanent reconstruction at Henshaws Arts & Crafts Centre, Knaresborough, a charity which supports people living with sight loss and a range of other disabilities. The centre is open to all and is a real community hub helping those living with disabilities to achieve their ambitions and to go beyond expectations. Built on the site of what was once Knaresborough Zoo, the centre has extensive grounds and Lorna and Johnny’s garden was designed to fit and adapt into the landscape in the woodland area. The garden would be a similar style to Eden but with a completely unique arrangement featuring a 20m river wall and 16m waterfall and stream created with the support of Rob Thewenti of Aquascapes and Landscaping.

Lorna told us, “One of the blind workers in particular loves to be guided around this area so she can enjoy the sounds of the leaves and birds while somebody describes the sights”. The installed waterfall (taken from ‘Eden’) and stream will greatly enhance her experience. “I have visited the Arts & Crafts Centre with my family for many years and it is a place close to my heart. It has been a joy to help redevelop the gardens for the people of Knaresborough to enjoy.”

The garden will re-open to the public on Mother’s Day (31st March) and we’re sure it is going to be a much loved part of Henshaws Arts & Crafts Centre.