BBC Gardeners’ World Live finalists to test-run border designs at Castle Gardens

L-R Julie Haylock, Mike Burks, managing director of The Gardens Group, and Elle Wilson.

On Monday 30 May, visitors to Castle Gardens in Sherborne will get a sneak preview of Elle Wilson (above right) and Julie Haylock’s (above left) literary-inspired garden border designs, which they will be exhibiting at this year’s BBC Gardeners’ World Live in the Beautiful Borders area. Elle and Julie, who are both studying for a Diploma in Garden Design at Kingston Maurward College, will have the chance to do a practice-run of building their garden borders in Dorset, before they are judged at the NEC in Birmingham on Wednesday 15 June.

Mike Burks (above centre), managing director of The Gardens Group, which has sponsored Elle and Julie, has been growing, pruning and caring for their plants in the polytunnels and greenhouses at Castle Gardens, while offering advice and support throughout the process. Mike explains;

“Elle has taken inspiration from Rudyard Kipling, with her plot representing the contrast of vivid colour and smells of India set against his personal traumas, while Julie depicts the famous Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree scene from A.A. Milne’s classic children’s books. They have done a fantastic job in designing their borders for the competition and have made some inspired planting decisions to complement their themes. We wish them both the best of luck and we can’t wait to see their borders come to life for the first time on Bank Holiday Monday.”

The two Beautiful Border entries will be available for all to see at Castle Gardens in Sherborne from 3pm on Monday 30 May.

For further information about The Gardens Group please visit www.thegardeneronline.co.uk.