A gardener from Southwell in Nottinghamshire has been recognised nationally for his green-fingered efforts during lockdown and has won a prestigious competition.
Chef Simon Thornewill won the Best Use of Imagination category in the B&Q Gardener of the Year awards for his imaginative approach to his Nottinghamshire front garden – the judges remarked they had never seen anything like it previously – and won £1,000 from B&Q after beating off thousands of entries.
While the country starts to lift lockdown restrictions, many of the nation come out of it with a newfound passion for gardening.
Around 80 percent of Brits have become more interested in tending to their window boxes, patios, balconies, and green spaces in the last year, and thanks to B&Q’s Gardener of the Year competition, many have been able to show off their newfound skills.
B&Q has been joined by comedian Jim Moir on a mission to showcase the ‘real’ gardens of the UK, with the winner of the competition taking home £10,000.
Thornewill, 35, said: “I was over the moon when I found out I'd won that category. I did not really expect the winning email at the end of the day.
“I've been working on my garden over the last five years and I’ve always been into the tropical, exotic kind of look. Just over lockdown, I went a bit overboard with it!
“Ever since then, I've built up a collection of other tropical and exotic plants over the years. There are all sorts in there now - bananas, gingers, anything you can think of!
“It's useful for my job too and cooking at home. I have some exotic herbs like Vietnamese coriander and nasturtiums, which are nice to eat and look nice in the garden as well. It's about finding that balance.”
Thornewill, who works at The Refectory in Southwell, found his passion for gardening after helping his mother on her allotment as a child, and has been able to enjoy the extra time on his hands to put his green fingers to the test.
“I think it's a passion for me because it's always been in my life,” Thornewill added.
“My mum has always been into it. Any excuse to get outside when the weather's nice; I will be straight down to the garden centre to give me something to do outdoors.
“It's a nice way to unwind after a busy day in the kitchen. You completely forget about everything else and focus on the nature side of things.”
Gardening has certainly been a refuge for many people who have struggled with the lockdown in the past year, and the competition comes as a relief to gardening enthusiasts who have missed out on the likes of the Chelsea Flower Show.
Joining Moir on the judges panel were award-winning garden designers, Matt Childs and Humaira Ikram, and B&Q Outdoor Category Director Steve Guy.
Guy said: “At B&Q, our mission is to cater for each of our customers individually by providing them with a great range of quality plants, enabling them to create amazing outside spaces. In launching the B&Q Gardener of the year competition, we sought to celebrate gardens of all shapes and sizes which is seen with all of our winners.”
Brits have taken inspiration for their gardens from many different places. 37% turned to gardening centres like B&Q for advice, while 27% asked their parents and 26% checking social media platforms as more young people tried their hand at gardening.
B&Q threw the rule book out the window when it came to what makes a garden ‘best in show’ – as proven by Thornewill’s front garden paradise.
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