The 2018 Welcome to Yorkshire garden, inspired by the Yorkshire Dales, has been awarded the highest honour at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
The coveted gold medal certificate was delivered to the garden just after 7am this morning.
The garden has been lovingly created by proud Yorkshireman Mark Gregory who is marking his 30th consecutive year at the prestigious show.
His design aims to evoke a Yorkshire landscape, with drystone walls, flower-filled meadows, a fast-flowing steam and tumbling beck.
Centre stage is a picturesque and authentic stone bothy with a beautiful cottage garden filled with flowers and veg.
The garden proved a major hit with both celebrity and VIP guests who were wowed by a Yorkshire brass band and a genuine Wensleydale sheep at the launch on press day on Monday.
Welcome to Yorkshire is now looking forward to thousands more people seeing the garden throughout the week.
Sir Gary Verity DL, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire said: “I’m thrilled. The garden is a credit to everyone who’s worked on it and to Yorkshire.
“Mark Gregory is one of best garden designers in the world and we are incredibly fortunate he is a Yorkshireman who has built this garden with such passion and pride.
“I’m delighted for the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, the Wensleydale Creamery and all the businesses in the Yorkshire Dales who put so much love and care into making it not only one of the most special places in the UK, but also in the world and I hope this recognition makes them all really proud.
“Her Royal Highness the Queen visited the garden last night and was enchanted by it, she made some beautiful comments and we’re thrilled the judges love it too.”
Garden designer, Mark Gregory of Landform Consultants said: “I’m completely blown away and feeling really quite emotional. I knew I’d done my best but a gold medal for Yorkshire in my 30th year here at Chelsea is just a dream come true.
“The response to the garden has been incredible, the joy and excitement I felt from people seeing it for the first time perfectly matched my feelings about designing and creating the garden.
“I just about held it together when I got the certificate but I think I’m going to have a little teary moment now. I’m just so proud to have done this for Yorkshire.”
