Three show gardens at RHS Tatton Flower Show, including a gold medal winner, have been given a peat free boost thanks to Dalefoot Composts.
Bee’s Gardens: The Penumbra by Briony Doubleday scooped Best Back to Back Garden, Best Construction Award and a prestigious gold RHS medal at the show. The garden was planted in a mix of Dalefoot’s Wool Compost and Lakeland Gold.
The shady urban garden shows how lush planting, including large tree ferns, can thrive in a space overshadowed by neighbouring buildings, while raising awareness of the Stroke Association. Penumbra, meaning partial shade, is also the term for the tissue in the brain around the area from which strokes emanate. It has been designed as a space where stroke survivors’ relatives can reflect and build resilience to provide support to their loved ones.
Briony said the use of Dalefoot Compost had really helped with water retention in the garden. “For the ferns, it holds the moisture amazingly and actually I didn't have to water as much,” she commented.
Dalefoot has also supported the Born to Bee Wild garden, designed by young designer Jimmy McAdam, sponsored by the Bumble Bee Conservation Trust. It focuses on the concept of the beehive and the ability of this natural creation to promote life and become a hive of activity. Bee-friendly plants, on this silver-winning garden, include wild carrot and betony. Jimmy said: “Dalefoot Compost is great to work with, light, easy to get around the pots and it's a great clay buster, it just does the perfect job really."
Finding [urban] Nature by Eds Higgins, another young designer, also scooped silver. It celebrates the hidden charm of wasteland sites. A central scaffold pavilion is surrounded by brownfield flowers and domestic garden plants. Raised vegetable beds contain a colourful mix of veg, herbs and flowers – with the compost bags on show! “Dalefoot Wool Compost was a great addition to my garden. It works perfectly in the allotment area. We've used it in practice and were really happy with it. We are always looking for peat free alternatives and it's the best we've found so far," said Eds.