Hove landscape architect's creation wins gold at RHS Chelsea Flower Show – and silver gilt award for designer from Rottingdean

Hove-based landscape architect Joe Perkins designed ‘The Meta Garden: Growing the Future’, which has won Gold at this year’s show.

Joe won three awards with his Chelsea debut for Facebook in 2019 with the ‘Beyond the Screen’ garden, including an RHS Gold medal, Best Construction and the coveted Best in Category, a first for any Chelsea Flower Show newcomer.

Reflecting on receiving an RHS Gold medal this week for his first Main Avenue Garden, Joe said: “I am honoured to have received Gold at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

"It wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my incredible, talented team – collaboration has been at the core of this wonderful project, from its concept to its creation. I’d like to thank everyone who supported me on this journey, including my sponsor Meta, the construction team, the countless volunteers and the National Forest team.”

The garden’s message is focused on the protection of British woodlands and forests for future generations, and has been designed to highlight the crucial relationship between soil, fungi and plants, which together form the basis of resilient forest ecosystems.

Steve Hatch, VP Meta Northern Europe,said: “We are delighted that Joe has won a RHS Gold Medal for The Meta Garden: Growing the Future. An incredible amount of creativity, collaboration, and craft has gone into this garden, and this medal is an opportunity to celebrate the garden’s important themes of connections, communities, and how we can work together to protect our wonderful British woodlands. This year we’re proud to be partnering with the National Forest, where this gold medal-winning garden will be re-homed. ”

Juliet Sargeant, from Rottingdean, was the designer behind a soil-themed garden, in partnership with CBBC’s Blue Peter, which has scooped a prestigious silver gilt award at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The New Blue Peter Garden: Discover Soil garden was officially launched by Juliet and 11 Blue Peter presenters past and present. It is aimed at engaging children and adults to discover the importance of soil and champions soil’s central role in supporting life and its potential to lock-in carbon.

Juliet said: “I am absolutely delighted with everyone’s reaction to the garden. They love the dynamic shapes, bold colours and the beautiful meadow. It’s great to get people talking about soil and hopefully taking the message home to their children.”

The garden is to open to visitors permanently at RHS Garden Bridgewater in Salford in the autumn but was putting on a guest appearance at the flower show thanks to funding from the Project Giving Back (PGB).

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