Bowled over

Although still developing – the garden was started just four years ago from a “wilderness” – Ellicar’s Sarah Murch has created a fantastic site that bowled over the judges with its use of shapes, heights and colour and year round fascination.

About the awards

The competition, sponsored by the leading powered garden equipment brand Cobra, is now in its third year. Elizabeth Chaloner, the company secretary of Henton and Chattell which owns Cobra and one of the judges, explained that its aim is to reward amateur gardeners.

“For the professionals a gold medal at Chelsea Flower Show is a major achievement but there is nothing for the hundreds of thousands of amateur gardeners who toil away year after year creating some absolutely fantastic gardens at their homes,” she explained. “The aim of this competition is to fill that gap and Sarah is a very worthy Gold Medal winner.”

Sarah and her husband and five children have lived at Ellicar for seven years and one of the major focal points of the garden is the 300 square metre natural swimming pool. The planting surrounding the water gives year round colour and shape and forms a stunning backdrop to, what looks like a natural lake.

The family now install these award winning natural Biotop pools in the North of England. The garden is open twice a year for the National Garden Scheme and on every Friday between April and October.

Runners up

The runner Silver medal winner in the competition was Pam Thompson at Pear Tree Cottage, Witton Hill in Worcestershire and the Bronze medal went to Ros Biswell at Moors Meadow near Bromyard in Herefordshire.

1. Ellicar Gardens (North Nottinghamshire)
2. Pear Tree Cottage (Worcestershire)
3. Moors Meadow (Hertfordshire)