RHS Young Designer
Discover the winner of the 2019 title
The winner of the Young Designer competition at the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 2019 has been announced.
Kristian Reay, who created The Phytosanctuary Garden, took the title at the 2019 show for his design, along with an RHS Gold medal.
The Phytosanctuary Garden highlighted the problem of Xylella and the threat it poses to many of our much-loved plants.
Speaking ahead of the competition, Kristian said: "As a Young Designer I’m deeply concerned about the risk from plant diseases like Xylella to our gardens and landscapes, so I think this is a really important topic to discuss at the show.
"I've included at-risk garden favourites like lavender in the planting to highlight the impact the disease could have if these plants were to vanish."
Kristian's design wins the 11th Young Designer competition, which also saw entries from Charlie Hartigan, Aidan Ciffelli and Laurence Senior.
The 2019 Young Designer entries
Landscape architect Charlie Hartigan raised awareness of endometriosis in her garden, 1 in 10.
“Approximately one in 10 women in the UK suffer from endometriosis, but it takes on average seven and a half years to achieve a diagnosis,” explained Charlie. “It's a serious condition that can leave the sufferer in chronic pain and fatigued, suffering from depression and social isolation, and potentially lead to difficulty conceiving.
“The aim of this garden is to reach out to parents, grandparents, carers, or anyone who might encourage a sufferer to seek treatment and hopefully change a woman’s life for the better.”
Plentiful and comfortable seating was scattered throughout the garden, offering the opportunity to relax and enjoy all that the garden has to offer – you might have inhaled the gorgeous aroma of lavender and basked in the sun’s rays while listening to the gentle trickle of the nearby water feature.
This sensory experience offered escapism from everyday life, transporting visitors away from the pain of endometriosis to a place of healing.
Inspired by the beauty and tranquillity of the Scottish coastline, Aidan Cifelli’s design, the Caledonian Coastal Garden, featured planting reminiscent of a coastal pine forest.
Pine trees lined the perimeter of the garden, while a pebble beach flowed down to a pool of water. Large boulders scattered throughout the design gave a sense of a rugged and exposed coastal scene.
The Caledonian Coastal Garden reflected 24-year-old Aidan’s memories of growing up in Scotland and how the coast acted as the perfect retreat for escaping urban life.
“I hope the garden encourages visitors to reflect on the beauty and tranquillity of the British coastline,” explained Aidan. “This garden highlights the importance of escaping the stress of modern-day life and spending time in nature. Water and untouched natural landscapes can be very calming.”
Laurence Senior’s design, Baroque Garden, was inspired by Baroque and Tudor formal gardens, and featured a secluded patio seating area overlooking a lily pond.
The romantic and wild planting was in stark contrast to the formal surroundings of the garden, creating a sense that the garden was being recaptured by nature.
“The garden is very formal in layout, but unlike traditional formal gardens the planting is wild, dense and frondose, creating a subtle suggestion of a wild force overtaking a formal garden and a sense of ruined arcadia,” explained Laurence.
“Rather than loud, colourful flowers I’ve opted for delicate white flowers, lush greenery and subtle tones of colour to create a sense of elegance and make the garden feel diaphanous and ethereal.”
