Work of green-fingered students to go on display

A spectacular show garden created by horticulture students at Derby College Group is set to go on display at BBC Gardeners’ World Live 2024 later this week.

Designed in collaboration with Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust, the garden centres around the Bonsall Field Barn Restoration Project.

It features a restored field barn within a setting inspired by the Peak District village of Bonsall.

This includes dry stone walling, a limestone path and a representation of a covered, disused lead mine shaft featuring ‘T’Owd Man of Bonsall’.

The horticulture study programme at Derby College, which has been specially devised by the horticulture lecturer, Mike Baldwin, brings together skills and knowledge in surveying, design, plantsmanship and construction – ideal for students who want to establish a gardening business.

Mike has now led 36 show gardens projects to date and has been creating show gardens with students for 30 years.

Speaking about the Bonsall Field Barn Garden project, he said: “It’s a great team effort, and everyone is working incredibly hard to create the different features of the garden. We will spend many more hours constructing this ahead of the BBC Gardeners World Live.”

“I want the students to enjoy every moment of it and hopefully it will inspire them for the future.

“It is a brilliant garden concept. The students are working incredibly hard to create the garden and are really working as a team.

“The outstanding garden is full of highly imaginative planting, great structures and many unique features, which we are hoping will impress the judges.”

The garden was designed by one of the students, Faye Geeson.

She worked collaboratively with the other students and the Bonsall Field Barn Restoration Project on the garden concept.

The design for the garden has been illustrated by another student, Chloe Ye.

Faye said: “I did the RHS Level 2 course at the college last year and having found out about the Level 3 course, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get involved in building a show garden this year.

“Having never done anything like this before, I was delighted that my design was selected by Mike and the sponsors to be built.”

The Bonsall Field Barn show garden will be on display at BBC Gardeners’ World Live, which takes place from 13 to 16 June at Birmingham’s NEC.