RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2007 - Biodiversity theme for college designer at RHS Hampton Court

The disappearance of our front gardens is highlighted by Hadlow College in their garden at this year's Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. The increasing number of front gardens that have been paved over to make a space for a car is causing concern and 'Full Frontal' (Gold) - designed by Heidi Harvey and Fern Alder - (pictured below) addresses the issue by incorporating permeable hard surfaces that allows water to percolate down into the soil while still providing a hard surface for parking a car.

Supporting wildlife is also an important part of this design and one rather good idea was the use of planting of ferns, Hostas and Asplenium under a grill on the path. The garden really does illustrate clever design in creating a space which can be multi-functional – a place for your garden and greenery and a space for your car. The camomile lawn, interplanted with Eschscholtzia, the driveway stones interplanted with Thymus, Ajuga and Alchemilla and the clever use of Sempervivum and Sedum easily demonstrate that it is possible to have flowers and plants as well as parking space in a front garden without resorting to concrete.

Plumpton College (Silver-Gilt) chose an interpretation of Robert Frosts's poem 'The path not taken' for their garden illustrating that every decision has its own consequences (pictured above). Designed by James Mason and Chloe Gazzard the garden makes a declaration on the importance of independence. The pivotal aspect of the garden is that there is only a positive decision at the fork of the path and whichever path is taken and there are no regrets.

A talk by TV horticulturist Chris Collins to students at City College Brighton & Hove inspired 'House of Plants' (Silver-Gilt) - a blaze of exotic colour giving us a taste of a garden in the tropics densely planted with a variety of unusual and beautiful plants (pictured above). Designed by Beth Rogers and Julia Harding, both students at the college and sponsored by House of Plants, the garden illustrates the variety of plants collected over the centuries by intrepid botanical explorers. Consequently we get a 'hot bed' of colour and vibrancy - just right to liven up those dark periods during press day when the rain clouds threatened.

Duchy College (Bronze Flora) asks us to 'Sit back and relax' with a design for a professional couple who want to relax in their garden on a summer evening (pictured above). Designers Marshall Hutchens, Sue Moore, Mike Harrington and David Hinchcliffe use low raised beds made from polish stainless steel and a quirky garden table complete with its own water feature to give this garden a retro effect. The garden features low maintenance planting and the use of perspex panels is particularly effective for protection from the cooler summer breezes.

The gardens created by young school designers are particularly effective and very entertaining. 'The Willow Pattern Plot' (Silver Flora) from the Sheddingdean Community Primary School (pictured above) tells the legend of the Willow Pattern, one of Spode's earliest designs. A relaxing and vibrant garden with a river filled with blue and white planting and of course a graceful willow epitomizing the poignancy of the Willow Pattern story.

Alton Infant School's 'Learning to look after our World' - designed by Jenny Wisby, Sharon Kent & Hilary Odey - is an absolute delight reflecting a microcosm of the Alton Infant School grounds and justly deserves the accolade of 'Best Small Garden' and Gold. (pictured above)

The gardens teach children about conservation, recycling and organic gardening and this is reflected in the vegetable and fruit garden and the use of so many recycled materials which have been used. We loved the little line of children's wellingtons (pictured right) which were planted up and the range of scarecrows all of which were designed by the children. Living proof of the school’s passion about the positive impact that environmental education has on pupils and a fantastic collaboration between teachers, parents and children as well as the wider community who all contributed to the garden. Well done Alton.