Myerscough apprentices help to build gold winning show garden at RHS

The ‘Save for a Rainy Day’ Garden, designed by Baz Grainger, was built by the team at Landform Consultants, including Myerscough landscape apprentices, Toby Brown and Jonathan Stout, and was awarded a gold medal for excellence.

Sponsored by Killik & Co, the modern family garden is designed to withstand the unpredictable weather patterns of a changing climate. As temperatures rise, plants traditionally found in the South of France may thrive in southern English gardens. To adapt to these shifts, the garden showcases resilient ‘future trees’ like Zelkova serrata and Pinus mugo ‘Mughus’, which can endure drought, flooding, and rising temperatures.

Inspired by architectural rainscaping techniques, the garden incorporates features to manage flooding while also promoting water harvesting to ensure precious water reserves for dry periods. A steel water tank on the rear boundary wall collects rainwater runoff.

The walls are made from 3D printed material, which produces less waste and CO2 and does not require foundations to be built. A pergola, constructed with cantilevered troughs suspended in a stone arch, captures rainwater and directs it to a water feature, which overflows during heavy rainfall. The permeable paths and paving are also strategically designed to channel water towards designated flooding areas.

The garden includes a family seating area for relaxation. The planting palette is peach, blue and rust and has a cottage garden style, but features plants more often associated with southern France and northern Spain such as Persicaria virginiana ‘Filiformis’, Artemisia ludoviciana ‘Valerie Finnis’ and Salvia sclarea.

Following the show, the garden is being relocated to a Centrepoint women’s shelter for 18-21 year olds, in Camden.