RHS Malvern Spring Festival 2023

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Thu 11 May 2023 - Sun 14 May 2023

A garden designed for wildlife has scooped the top prize at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival which runs at Three Counties Showground until May 14.

Wilder Spaces, created by Jamie Langlands in support of The Wildlife Trusts, was awarded gold and named Best Show Garden at the event. A number of different habitats are incorporated into the garden, using building waste and reclaimed materials, creating a diverse space. A trickling creek and a pond are magnets for a variety of species looking for shelter, habitat and water.



As well as cultivated perennials, Jamie has included native wildflowers, such as primroses and red campion, to provide pollen and nectar. Nettles and bird’s-foot trefoil are used as they are a food source for the larvae of butterflies, moths and other insects.

Another wildlife-friendly garden was awarded gold by the RHS Malvern Spring Festival judges. Bee Positive, Bee Kind, Bee Aware, designed by Rick Ford and Katie Gentle, has three beehives at its centre. The design incorporates honeycomb shapes and the planting includes bee-beneficial perennials among the vegetables.



There is a kitchen and dining area, with a green roof over the kitchen which provides another opportunity for bee-friendly planting. Edibles and herbs, including rosemary and thyme, provide the kitchen with easy pickings – and are a source of nectar for the bees.

The HomeAway Garden, designed by Emily Crowley-Wroe, scooped a silver-gilt medal at the show. Inspired by holidays in Brittany, the garden imagines a once-neglected space transformed into a second home country retreat. Set against the backdrop of an old storage barn, the garden features dusty pathways flanked by tough drought-resistant specimens like agaves, fennel and rock samphire.



A contemporary garden inspired by Cubism and the paintings of Pablo Picasso was also awarded silver-gilt. Expression, designed by Stuart Bugby, features pathways and raised beds of broken copper slate and a copper-style water feature at its centre. The planting of cordylines and black mondo grass complements black posts which are arranged in a series of Cubist triangles.



The judges awarded the fifth show exhibit, Greener Gloucestershire NHS Garden, a silver medal. Designed by Laura Ashton-Phillips, the garden is destined for the grounds of Gloucester Royal Hospital. Conceived as a retreat for staff, patients and their families, it offers a natural space for reflection. Two seating areas are surrounded by ornamentals and native wildflowers, including bluebells and foxgloves. Native trees shade a stream, and wide pathways weave through the garden.



As well as the show gardens, the 2023 RHS Malvern Spring Festival boasts a star-studded line-up of horticultural guests, TV presenters, authors and celebrity chefs. During the weekend there will be talks and demonstrations by Alan Titchmarsh, Adam Frost, Greg Wallace and Arit Anderson.



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