Top honours at this year’s RHS Malvern Spring Festival have gone to Peter Dowle’s tranquil Japanese-style retreat.
‘At One with . . . A Meditation Garden’ has won gold and the coveted Best in Show award.
Peter, who runs Howle Hill Nursery in was delighted with the win – his second best in show at RHS Malvern.
“It’s absolutely fabulous news and great for all the team – it was a huge team effort as always.”
And despite it being his 12th RHS gold, the thrill has not diminished: “Every gold is special,” he said.
“We’re looking forward to a fabulous festival.”
There was gold also for Painswick designer Sue Jollans on her second time at Malvern and after a gap of 10 years.
The Refuge highlights the plight of refugees and the journey they take in search of sanctuary.
A Mediterranean retreat by Villaggio Verde picked up a silver-gilt. There was silver for Buckfast Abbey’s Millennium Garden by Maia Hall and the Treehouse Garden by Mark Eveleigh.
A Garden Framed by Tim Lawrence, inspired by the idea of gardens as art, won bronze.
In the Spa Garden category, gold and Best in Show went to Russian duo Denis Kalshnikov and Ekaterina Bolotova. They were invited to exhibit at Malvern as part of a collaboration with the Moscow Flower Show.
Annette Baines-Stiller got silver for her garden inspired by the poetry of Ted Hughes.
There was bronze for The Ocean Garden by Damien Michel and Keith Browning’s eye-catching Bubble Drops.
• The RHS Malvern Spring Festival runs from May 11-14. For details, visit the website.