BBC Gardeners’ World Live opened in Birmingham this month. We look at the role London Stone products had in two of the five gardens on APL Avenue.

The Lanwarne Landscapes Bee and Butterfly Garden won Best Construction Award and Silver Gilt at BBC Gardeners' World Live 2017.

We love the APL Avenue because, as our MD Steve Walley says, “As well as showing off the skill and creativity of our landscape specialists, they play an important role in educating the general public on exactly why they should employ the services of professional landscapers and designers.”

Lanwarne Landscapes Bee and Butterfly Garden

Special congratulations are due to Martin Lines and Lanwarne Landscapes which built the Lanwarne Landscapes Bee and Butterfly Garden, not only winning Silver-Gilt, but also Best Construction Award.

Designed for a socially active 30-something couple who work long hours, and to complement a modern refurbished house, its aim was to demonstrate that contemporary gardens with modern features, such as outdoor dining and a fire pit, can also be nature-friendly. Timber posts incorporated bee and insect houses and bubble fountains offered water.

Fire pit stands on hexagonal Black Basalt paving by L-shaped bench in BBC Gardeners' World Live 2017 garden.
The bee theme appears in the hexagonal paving and striking fire pit in the Lanwarne Landscapes Bee and Butterfly Garden, BBC Gardeners' World Live 2017. Built by Lanwarne Landscapes, designed by Martin Lines.

Hard landscaping featured Black Basalt paving cut into eye-catching  bespoke hexagons, and matching Blue Black slate cladding. A counterpoint of Blue Grey granite setts added energy in dividing the paved area.

Living in Sync garden

Wooden gate opens onto gravel and buff Yorkstone path with planting in Living in Sync garden, BBC Gardeners' World 2017.
Artemis Landscapes Living in Sync garden shows simple ways to create a sustainable space, using buff Yorkstone.

Also with a focus on wildlife, the Living in Sync garden was designed by Viv Seccombe and built by Artemis Landscapes. Awarded Silver-Merit, it used recycled, permeable and low carbon materials to create a sustainable space that would attract pollinators.

A period house front with planted bed and gravel and buff Yorkstone paving in the APL Avenue, BBC Gardeners' World Live.
Living in Sync shows a lovely design by Artemis Landscapes to complement a period property.

Cleverly, the paving was created from Yorkstone offcuts. This ensured a rather gorgeous-looking path while recycling pieces unsuitable for other projects. Laid on gravel, the plank shapes gave direction to the eye across the garden, so making it appear bigger while remaining part of a permeable landscape.

So, that’s two beautifully executed gardens, showing exactly how inventive a design can be when professionals are involved. All contained ideas that undoubtedly made visitors think about the potential of their own garden.

As Steve (we just call him ‘Guru’) also says, “Show gardens are good for the whole landscape industry.”

To check out another recent show garden, take a look at Time for Everything at RHS Chatsworth 2017.