Students Sowing Seeds of Success!

This year sees the Bicentenary of Craven College and to celebrate, Horticulture students have created two raised borders for the Harrogate Spring Flower Show 2025 that are influenced by planting styles from the last 200 years. College has not been at the Flower Show since 2019, so this is a welcome return and an excellent way to celebrate our 200^th anniversary.

Royal Horticulture Society students at Skipton Campus, Evolve students at Ripon Walled Garden and The Good Shepherd Centre in Keighley all collaborated to create these wonderful displays; one using plants and design principles typical of the 19^th and early 20th centuries whilst the second had a more contemporary feel.

The first border used elements from Victorian and Edwardian gardens. The 19th Century saw the increased use of bedding plants such as pelargoniums and house plants including the surprisingly hardy Aspidistra elatior. Unusual forms of native plants were also popular with many new selections of ivies and ferns.

Using inspiration from famous writes such as William Robinson an early exponent of naturalistic plantings and cottage gardening and Gertrude Jekyll, famous for her collaborations with Sir Edwin Lutyens. Her ‘Arts and Crafts’ gardens are famous for their use of colour theory, although the bright colours she used are often attributed to failing eyesight.

The second border was a more contemporary design using matrix (random) plantings typical of the ‘New Perennial’ movement designers such as Piet Oudolf. Many of the plants have a long flowering period or have additional interest in the form of seed heads or attractive foliage.

The log wall is designed to remind us how gardens can be important habitats and reflects the current trend for wildlife-friendly gardens. The logs, whilst creating habitats for a range of invertebrates, also provided a sculptural element to the garden. The arch is formed using a section of gabion and the wall is planted with Luzula and Pilea.

Most of the plants have been grown by Craven College Horticulture students, although some have been supplied by Cliff Bank Nursery in Huby. Our students at Ripon Walled Garden have repainted the wooden cart and grown the fritillaries and tulips.

Our student’s designs gave a great showing in the judging aspect of the Flower Show, with the design for the first hundred years awarded four stars, and the second hundred years awarded three stars.

Michael Myers, Lecturer in Horticulture said, “The Creative Border competition at the Harrogate Flower Show is an excellent opportunity to create an interesting display without the expense of a show garden whilst still giving students an insight into how flower show exhibits are put together.

“Students have always enjoyed creating displays at the show and some have gone on to create their own displays at this and other flower shows. The two displays this year attracted a lot of lovely comments from visitors and the students involved should be proud of their achievements. The displays even made an appearance on BBC Breakfast News last week!”

Find out more about Horticulture at Craven College!