The day of judgement had finally arrived as I entered the wonderful grounds at Tatton Park on a very early July morning. The sun was just rising and the mist on the park was lifting creating some stunning scenes.  The deer calmly grazing in the park were simply too tempting to simply drive past, so I managed to pull over and grab a couple of images (see main blog image).  

This was not however the reason for my visit, I was here for Press Day at the 2017 RHS Tatton Park Flower Show.  I had managed to secure a 5.30am pass which would hopefully allow me to do the final filming and photography of the Gabriel Ash Greenhouse Garden.  I have been covering the design, construction and planting over the last few weeks and this was to be the conclusion to the whole project.  Today I was blessed with a perfect morning, so now all I needed to do was take advantage of the hour and a half before the garden designers and contractors were allowed in to undertake any last minute finishing touches.

The garden looked simply stunning in the early morning light and the blue morning sky was reflecting back in the inky waters of the pond perfectly.  Having been involved in the project for so long I felt the tension that the designers must feel and wanted to show the garden at its best.  Having been involved in both garden design and the construction of gardens I understood the enormity of the task to achieve that coveted RHS Medal.  The teams have worked so hard to perfect the garden and now all they could do is sit and wait for the verdict from the judging panel.

The Judges arrived on the garden at 8am and so I turned my camera off and left them to their deliberations.... It was not until 2.45PM that the medal was awarded and the garden won a well deserved Silver Medal. The sponsors and everyone involved were delighted with the results and the garden. Emotions were understandably very high and everyone who has seen the garden loves it, as do I.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Lilly Gomm who designed the garden for her patience and understanding when I was pointing a camera in her face, which was all she needed at times I am sure!  The planting team Pitts & Lilly who managed to create a wonderful garden for us to enjoy. Mark Youle and his team at Urban Landscapes for the excellent interviews and insight into the construction of a show garden.  Lastly I would like to thank Gabriel Ash for both sponsoring this wonderful garden and asking me to capture the process on film. 

For more information on the content of this blog I have provided the links below:-

Gabriel Ash - Manufacturers of RHS endorsed Cedar greenhouses and cold frames.

RHS Tatton Park Flower Show - For information on all the other gardens

Lilly Gomm - Garden Designer for the RHS Tatton Park  Greenhouse Garden

Urban Landscape Design - The construction team.

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