© Rachel Warne
The Welcome to Yorkshire garden, inspired by the iconic Yorkshire Dales, won the highest honour of gold, Best Construction Award and the coveted People’s Choice Award back in 2018 at the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Blooming great news … today the cultivated creation, complete with cowpat and vegetable patch, received the most public votes and is the garden to come out on top as the BBC RHS People’s Choice Award favourite from the last decade, as just announced on BBC ONE.
Lovingly created by proud Yorkshireman Mark Gregory, the multi-award-winning garden marked Mark’s 30th consecutive year at the world-renowned show in 2018 and what a fitting tribute to a top class designer as this year would have been Mark’s 100th garden at RHS Chelsea, if the coronavirus crisis hadn’t hit hard.
Ten gardens over ten years were shortlisted for the public to vote for their favourite and three of the gardens were Welcome to Yorkshire gardens. Created for the county by brilliant designers, two by overall winner Yorkshire’s Mark Gregory (2018 Dales and 2019 heritage and canal inspired) and in 2016 Matthew Wilson’s impressive rural reflection of York Minster’s expansive East Window.
But back to the most desired of the decade, a Wensleydale wonder, the delightful design evoked a truly stunning Yorkshire landscape, with drystone walls, flower-filled meadows, a fast-flowing stream and tumbling beck. Centre stage was a picturesque and authentic stone bothy with a beautiful cottage garden filled with flowers and veg.
James Mason, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire said:
“It is some achievement to win the BBC RHS People’s Choice Award from the last decade for the Yorkshire garden, especially considering the high calibre of competition.
Hopefully this will be a reminder of what a picturesque part of Yorkshire Wensleydale really is. I’m delighted for the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, the Wensleydale Creamery and all the businesses in the Yorkshire Dales who showed great support for the garden and their continued love of such a spectacular part of the world, which once again deserves to be showcased far and wide.
Mark Gregory is one of the most talented garden designers in the world and we are incredibly fortunate that he just happens to be a Yorkshireman too, who had two gardens in the top ten and the overall winner. I know that the Welcome to Yorkshire team loved showcasing the county at Chelsea to visitors from across the globe.
A worthy win plus a great reminder and inspiration for visitors to explore this picture postcard part of the Dales, but for now following Government guidelines considering COVID-19.”
Garden Designer, Mark Gregory MD of Landform Consultants said:
“What an honour it is to be awarded BBC RHS People’s Choice Garden of the Decade. I’ve built and designed gardens at Chelsea every year since 1988, which adds up to more than 3 years of my life! Not being there this year has been more than a little surreal but to win Garden of the Decade means the world. Chelsea is always a team effort and this award is for everyone involved, I’m so proud to have been a part of it and I hope this garden and the 2019 Welcome to Yorkshire garden will inspire people to visit the home county of which I’m so proud.”
Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority Chairman, Carl Lis, said:
“We were delighted to support the stunning Welcome to Yorkshire RHS Chelsea Garden back in 2018, and are thrilled that Wensleydale was the inspiration for the BBC RHS People’s Choice Award from the Last Decade. Huge congratulations to the very talented Mark Gregory, his team, and all at Welcome to Yorkshire who contributed so much. This shows the value of promoting Yorkshire on the biggest stages, showcasing to the world what we have to offer”.
