How do you feel about winning a silver gilt for the Thrive Reflective Mind garden?
Naturally every designer aims for gold, but a silver-gilt medal from the RHS is a real achievement - especially for a first show garden, so I’m very pleased.
It must be great to have your life back - how much time did this project take to bring to fruition?
I started the design and planning work at the end of last year and it has taken up a significant amount of my time since then. I dread to think how many hours have gone into it, but I am proud of what we achieved and hope that more people will become aware of the work that Thrive do as a result.
Tell us your highlight of doing this project?
It was probably press day when we had TV cameras and presenters all over the garden and I really enjoyed some of the things that Gardeners’ World presenter Adam Frost (pictured below with Richard) said about the garden, including that it was a space he really wanted to be in.
What was the public reaction to the garden?
Reaction to the garden was truly heart-warming and made the whole thing worthwhile. We lost count of how many people said it should have got gold and it was their favourite garden! People said that the garden made them feel calm and many didn’t want to leave!
What happened to the garden at the end of the show?
Many elements of it were on loan so they have been dispersed throughout the country on the back of various HGVs.
And the million dollar question, will you do a show garden again?!
This question is apparently rather like asking a woman who has just given birth if they are going to have another baby! Those that only see the garden for a few minutes can’t imagine the hard work that goes into it, but if the right opportunity and sponsorship comes along, I will probably be tempted!
