Garden designers vie for award

Three young garden designers compete to create the Best RHS National Young Designer of the Year Garden 2013

Three up-and-coming garden designers have made it to the finals of the RHS National Young Designer of the Year 2013 – this year, with the theme ‘Eco-Innovations’.

Florian DeGrosie (above left), Christopher James (above middle) and Tony Woods (above right) are the successful finalists who now have the opportunity to build show gardens at the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park and show off their designing prowess.

How they intrepret ‘Eco-Innovations’ is up to the designers- in their choice of plants, landscape material and design.

Meet the designers

Florian De Groise (23) from Cambrai in France harnessed horticulture from a young age from his grandmother. He completed a course at the London School of Garden Design at Kew and now runs his own landscaping company. In The Bees Garden  (above) he wants to get across that you can achieve sharp and striking designs using inexpensive and recycled material.

Tony Woods (27) runs his own garden design and build company, The Garden Club London. This year is his first time managing a show garden having had experience setting up exhibits at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. In his garden Escape to the City (above) Tony will convey that you can achieve tranquility and escape even in an urban garden.

Christopher James (28) acquired a love of gardening from his grandparents and now manages design projects for Graduate Landscapes Ltd. He has a strong appreciation for the technical aspects of design as well as plant knowledge. His garden GreEnCO Sense is a haven for garden wildlife and brings to light ecological concerns through materials and design.