Blooming marvellous silver medal show

Jun 12 2007 By The Journal

A North-East show garden with an important environmental theme won a silver medal at the biggest and best flower show in the world. The garden, which was themed around the precious nature of water was awarded a Silver Flora prize in the Great Pavilion at the Chelsea Flower show.

Gateshead Council teamed up with Northumbrian Water to develop the garden, which used a large water feature to represent the importance of water in the world.

The overall concept was that water is precious - for health, for wealth and for life itself.

This was the first part of a two-year deal that will see Northumbrian Water sponsor gardens produced by Gateshead Council's local environmental services for the Chelsea show.

Councillor John McElroy, cabinet member for culture at Gateshead Council said: "The award is a real credit to Gateshead and all the staff from the council who worked so hard to make the garden a reality.

"I think it's also important that we're at the forefront of the environmental argument and this garden demonstrates that society must start thinking more seriously about green issues."

Alistair Baker, Northumbrian Water's communications and PR manager, said: "It's an honour to have our garden partnership recognised with a silver medal at the biggest and best flower show in the world.

"It is great that this seed of an idea has taken root and grown into a blooming two-year creative partnership between Northumbrian Water and Gateshead Council - two of the leading private and public organisations in the North East," he said.

This years' garden was based on three split-level circles representing health, wealth and life itself with a stream running through it.

All three areas were surrounded by an arid desert, symbolising the dangers of climate change and highlighting the way water is wasted in the modern world.

The garden will be recreated for public display at the Gateshead Summer Flower Show from July 27 to 29 at the Central Nurseries in Lobley Hill, Gateshead.