Passion for plants

Provender Nurseries enjoy working with students of design and horticulture at all levels, introducing students to new varieties of plants. With a history of hosting student visits both here on site and at horticultural colleges, our enjoyment of working closely with students early in their career is already well established.
With a passion for plants and a keenness to showcase and promote new and interesting plant introductions Provender Nurseries launched a design competition at Capel Manor in June of 2012. Students of National Open College Network Level 3 Diploma in Garden Design based at the Regent’s Park Campus were given a competition and design brief to revamp a garden in the grounds sponsored by Provender Nurseries.
The design brief stated that the winning design would have to work to a budget, the planting would include plants not already grown at Capel Manor, be vibrant and interesting with a strong focal point or centre piece. To make the design more challenging, students were restricted to select plants that started with 8 letters of the alphabet, A, E, L, S, T, V, W and Y.
Over 42 designs were submitted, 10 were shortlisted with judging taking place on Monday 8th October. The judging panel consisted of Neill Ludmon (Course Manager for Plants & Planting Design), Kim Page (Deputy of the School of Garden Design), Julie Phipps (Senior Gardener), Richard McKenna (Nursery Director at Provender Nurseries) and Liz Hughes (Marketing & Events at Provender Nurseries).

The standard of the submitted designs was very high with a vast amount of work put in by all of the students. Some contemporary designs were highly praised by all of the judges who agreed on the final three. The winning design by Esra Parr ( pictured ) was selected due to the ‘rhythm created via planting throughout the garden, the innovative, interesting and varied plant palette with many that are not used around the grounds in Capel Manor’ stated Neill Ludmon.
Esra has an artistic background having worked in television, as an image consultant and teaching students to paint on silk. Esra’s passion in photography of flowers eventually led her down the road of training to become a Landscape & Garden Design at Capel Manor. Esra is in the 2nd year of the two year course.
Work has now begun on clearing the existing garden in preparation for planting up Esra’s winning design. Clearing of the existing planting and planting of Esra’s design will be carried out by students with a completion date of 12th to 14th of April to coincide with the Capel Manor Spring Show. The official opening of the garden will take place later in the year.
Tel 01322 619 925
liz.hughes@provendernurseries.co.uk
 
www.provendernurseries.co.uk
 

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