Myerscough to compete in Young Gardeners of the Year 2018

The Young Gardeners of the Year competition sees six of the UK’s leading horticulture colleges go head-to-head designing and creating incredible show gardens for the chance to be crowned winners. The event celebrates the best of young British talent in garden design and build, and offers students a great opportunity to showcase their work to a national audience.

This year’s event is being held as part of the inaugural Ascot Spring Garden Show in April, at Ascot Racecourse.

The annual competition, now in its eighth year, is organised by TV gardener David Domoney, in association with The Prince’s Foundation for Building Community. It celebrates young British ‘green’ talent and will see the six competitors create show-stopping, sustainable gardens that will be seen by thousands of visitors at the show.

The launch kicked off with an introduction by David Domoney, star of ITV show Love Your Garden and expert on This Morning. David briefed the participating colleges on the objectives of the competition and provided handy hints and tips. There was also a presentation from Aaron Davis, Associate Design Director at The Prince's Foundation for Building Community, outlining the principles and the brief for this year’s show.

The Young Gardeners are now tasked with creating a show garden that will capture the imagination and inspire the judges and visitors, using clever plant association and design techniques.

This year’s Young Gardeners of the Year gardens will be judged by an expert panel, which includes horticultural industry leaders, home and garden magazine editors, and acclaimed garden designers and landscapers. Entrants will compete to win gold, silver gilt, silver, or bronze awards. The overall winner will receive the Best in Show trophy, and visitors will be able to vote for the winner of the People’s Choice Award.

Myerscough are competing against Capel Manor, Middlesex; Pershore College, Part of the Warwickshire College Group; Shuttleworth College, Bedfordshire; Writtle University College, Essex; and Reaseheath College, Cheshire. Each college is being given a 5m x 4.5m plot. The garden style can be traditional or contemporary, and must be a focal point to inspire homeowners and passers-by on just what can be achieved in a small urban space. The garden should appeal to the homeowner’s senses; the colours and design should offer a spectacular welcome when they come home, and aim to brighten up the home owners’ life.

David Domoney said: “To date we have given more than 600 garden landscaping and design students the opportunity to build gardens at a national event before they even leave the college gates.

‘’It’s always a great privilege to see great British talent come together to compete for the title of Best Young Gardeners of the Year, and with this year’s focus on front gardens, I can’t wait to see them come to life.

‘’Each college is being asked to submit their garden design before the beginning of February. At Ascot they will have five days to build and plant their gardens in the Garden Terrace on Ascot’s Grandstand ready for the Show’s opening day on 13th April 2018. Each garden will then be judged by an esteemed panel of ambassadors and curators.’’

Nick Atkinson, Assistant Head Apprenticeship & Skills – Greenspace at Myerscough College, said: ‘’This is a very prestigious event and one of the most exciting competitions the Myerscough Colleges apprenticeship department has been involved with.

‘’We’re looking forward to working with our other landscape apprentices to finalise our designs ahead of the big build in April.’’

Simon Sadinsky, Head of Education at The Prince’s Foundation’s said: “We are thrilled to have once again helped launch the Young Gardeners of the Year competition with David Domoney and some of the country’s most enthusiastic young gardeners.

‘’As in past years, this year we are asking participants to provide a particular focus within their gardens on the principles of sustainability, paying attention to issues such as the use of local, natural materials and the implementation of Sustainable Drainage Systems.

‘’The creativity of past years has shown us that no matter how small the space, we can all incorporate natural environments into our busy urban lives and we are greatly looking forward to seeing what is produced this year.”

The Ascot Spring Garden Show runs from Friday 13th – Sunday 15th April.

The photographs show Myerscough College staff, Nick Atkinson and work-based tutors James Fare and Oliver Clarke, with apprentice, Jack Reader from Landform, and David Domoney at the launch.