John Woods Nurseries part of student showcase at the 104th Ideal Home Show – this is a fantastic competition that allows young people to experience the excitement of entering a prestigious competition!

John Woods Nurseries is playing its part harnessing some of this country’s
best young horticultural talent by becoming an integral part in the ‘Ideal
Young Gardeners of the Year 2012’ competition which is being run in Association
with the Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment.

This prestigious competition throws together six UK colleges whose students
have been challenged with creating inspirational and sustainable show gardens
which will be exhibited in the forecourt of Earls Court during next year’s
104th Ideal Home Show, running 16th March– 1st April 2012.

The Suffolk-based company has been chosen by organisers to supply some of the
plants for the gardens, which will be judged by a panel of experts including
John Woods Nurseries’ managing director, John Lord.

The competition aims to highlight the very best examples of sustainable practice
in British garden design amongst students. Each college will be given a 5.5m
x 4m plot to plan and design a unique and sustainable garden based on the theme
of ‘landcraft techniques in an urban setting.’

MD John Lord said: “So far two colleges have visited our nursery, Writtle
College from Chelmsford near Essex, and Capel Manor College in Enfield, Middlesex,
who won the inaugural 2011 competition, and whose garden was visited at last
year’s show by HRH, the Prince of Wales.

“We are delighted to be supplying plants for the gardens, focusing on
our new introductions and signature lines.

“This is a fantastic showcase for our plants, with more than 275,000
people expected to view the students’ creations over the course of the
2012 London show. It offers the students fantastic exposure plus a solid industry
platform to build upon.”

The 2012 competition, which is staged in association with the Prince’s
Foundation for the Built Environment, was officially launched last week (November
30th) by Channel 5’s TV gardener, David Domoney, who is also on the judging
panel.

Each college will be given one week to build and plant their garden outside
Earls Court ready for the Ideal Home Show opening day on March 16th. During
this time they will be monitored and supported by Domoney in preparation for
the judging panel.

Each garden will then be judged at the show on March 16th, by the panel which
also includes award-winning garden designer Adam Hunt, who created the edible
garden at HRH the Prince of Wales’s START festival at Clarence House in
the summer 2010.

This year, the participating colleges will be awarded gold, silver or bronze
medals, with two further prestigious titles presented for ‘Best At Show’
and ‘The People’s Choice’.

Colleges competing this year are:

Askham Byran College, North Yorkshire
Bridgwater College, Somerset
Chichester College, Sussex
Capel Manor, Middlesex
Shuttleworth College, Bedfordshire
Writtle College, Essex

The Prince’s Foundation has set clear guidelines for the competition
based on organic and sustainable principles. In addition, each garden should
inspire city dwellers, showing just what can be achieved in the most impossible
of tight urban locations.

Hank Dittmar, Chief Executive of The Prince’s Foundation, said: “The
importance of green spaces both in urban living and sustainable lifestyle is
often overlooked and we are pleased to once again be launching this competition,
particularly ahead of the launch of our landscrafts programme later this year.

“The Prince’s Foundation considers this to be a great start to
the crafts programme – giving young people at the start of their careers
an opportunity to learn about sustainable garden design and craftsmanship.”

David Domoney, organiser of the competition added: “Last year over a
quarter of a million people at the Ideal Home Show got to appreciate the show
gardens designed by our young students. This kind of exposure, with support
from The Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment, can prove a great
fuel injection in those young people’s career paths and help them stand out
from the competition when they come to apply for work.”

http://www.johnwoodsnurseries.co.uk/