Set in the magnificent parklands of Tatton Park in Cheshire, the 2018 RHS Flower Show Tatton Park was a spectacular day out for all who attended between the 18th and 22nd July.

The RHS Flower Show Tatton Park was first held in 1999 and has since welcomed thousands of visitors through the gates with a show that relishes fresh ideas and innovation.

Hardscape were pleased to have supplied stone paving to two of the display gardens; Bruntwood’s show garden and one by Manchester brewer, JW Lees, with the latter taking home a prestigious Gold Award and Best Show Garden!

To mark their 190th anniversary, JW Lees Brewery worked with Whitefield based, award-winning garden designer Leon Davis, in a bid to win the first gold medal for a pub beer garden at the Flower Show.

Something amazing brewing!

Leon was given an open design brief and experimented with modern materials, techniques and plants. The JW Lees ‘from Hop to Glass Garden’ drew on inspiration from across the brewing industry, interpreting materials, features and processes in a contemporary style and composition.  Leon had to design differently as unlike most show gardens, this concept was required to last and be sustainable, so that it could live in a permanent home after the show. Hardscape provided Leon with Woodkirk Buff sawn sandstone paving which looked pristine in the summer sunshine!

Leon Davis, Designer, said: “Gold is what we aimed for, but I am over the moon winning Best Show Garden.  Despite the challenges presented by the hot weather, we manged to create a truly harmonious garden. It’s brilliant that JW Lees planned for this garden to have a long life after the show, that it will become a feature for the public at the Golden Pheasant Plumley, for everyone to enjoy, is something to be really proud of.”

William Lees-Jones, Managing Director at JW Lees, said; “For our 190th birthday we wanted to create something sustainable that we could share with JW Lees customers. We gave Leon on open brief, he has used beer and brewing to inspire a truly memorable garden. The garden can still be enjoyed at the Golden Pheasant, Plumley from mid-August.”

What a performance!

Property Group, Bruntwood were main sponsors for the third year of the show, and their Urban Greening Champion and garden designer Nathan Webster created an engaging and interactive garden, which included exhibition and performances spaces for inspiring and informative events throughout the week.

This year, Bruntwood’s show garden drew on inspiration from previous installations at the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park.

The Bruntwood Field Office in 2016 promoted the use of outdoor space both as a place for work and events, and The Bruntwood Experiment showcased their support of urban greening and how it may contribute to the health and wellbeing of cities and citizens.

The 2018 Bruntwood Garden took aspects from both of these features, creating a sustainable and usable green space that acted as a social and cultural focal point for people to sit, work and relax.

Hardscape supplied Classic grey granite paving and Kobra granite setts that incorporated a performance area, an exhibition space, an outdoor ‘board table’ and a display of suspended plants. Visitors were able to enjoy a multitude of events and activities within the garden throughout the show.

Here’s to the next Flower Show at RHS Tatton in 2019 – Cheers!