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Tthe ‘Aperture’ garden entry by students of Weymouth and Kingston Maurward College at the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair 2025
Horticulture students from Weymouth and Kingston Maurward College have achieved a prestigious Gold Medal at the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair 2025, held at Beaulieu.
Their innovative show garden, inspired by the theme ‘Nature’s Art within the Garden’, captivated judges and visitors alike with its creative concept and thoughtful execution.
Designed by students Kris Trott, Una Flinter, Madi Exall and Finn Irish, the garden ‘Aperture’ explored the boundary between art and nature. Using simple elements to celebrate a dynamic, naturalist style, the garden examined the beauty and diversity of plants and how they contrast against darker forms, exploring colour and light.
The central feature — a handcrafted, rotating ‘portal’ sculpture — allowing the viewer to capture, frame and experience the depth and detail of nature’s own art through its rotating aperture, similar to the compositional eye that photographers use.
Taking inspiration from artists such as Andy Goldsworthy and Richard Long, the students aimed to turn to garden itself, and the act of viewing it, into art.
Constructed primarily from natural materials, the garden embodies sustainability, with elements designed to decompose and nourish the earth over time. This approach reflects the students’ commitment to environmentally conscious design and their understanding of the cyclical nature of ecosystems.
The project was part of the College Gardens competition at Beaulieu, which challenged students from various institutions to create budget-friendly gardens under the mentorship of award-winning garden designer Cherry Carmen. The competition aimed to inspire innovative designs that harmonise with nature and promote biodiversity.
Joanna Jeffery, Head of Department, commented: “Creating a show garden at national event is a fantastic opportunity for the horticultural students to demonstrate their skills and knowledge.
“They have produced a beautiful garden and shown how much they know about design, landscaping and choosing the best plants for the different aspects of the garden.
“All the staff and students involved are absolutely delighted with the outcome and hugely grateful to our industry partners who were so generous in providing advice and guidance on plant selection and supporting us through the process.”
The college extends its gratitude to the sponsors Chestnut Nursery, Goulds Garden Centre, Holme for Gardens, and Knoll Gardens, and the BBC Gardeners’ World team for their support and for providing a platform that nurtures emerging talent in horticulture.
For more information about Kingston Maurward College’s horticulture courses, visit www.kmc.ac.uk
