North Yorkshire woman's key role in hit Chelsea Flower Show garden

Curator Faith Douglas surveys the finished Yorkshire garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. (Photo by Faith Douglas)

TV viewers are sure to have spotted it in BBC's coverage of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show it was one of the big hits this year but a North Yorkshire woman was part of a team which wowed the crowds and won a silver medal this year.

Faith Douglas, curator at Thorp Perrow Arboretum, near Bedale played a key role in the build of the Welcome to Yorkshire show garden - God’s Own County – A Garden For Yorkshire.

The garden, which was designed by Matthew Wilson, former head of RHS Harlow Carr in Harrogate,was inspired by the beauty of the Great East Window at York Minster.

As befits the garden's title, the design incorporating planting and landscaping designed to reflect the wider Yorkshire landscape as well as the Minster itself.

Gods Own County garden team members Faith Douglas, Matthew Wilson and veterans Paul Sterndale-Bennett and Paul Wakeham.

Arboretum curator, Faith Douglas said:“I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to work on the garden at Chelsea.

"It has been hard work, but hugely rewarding, especially seeing the veterans benefit so much from using the skills they have learnt as part of their recovery at Thorp Perrow and Phoenix House. We are all really pleased with the Silver Award. I'm looking forward to next year.”

Faith and a team of veterans from Help for Heroes' Phoenix House Recovery Centre at Catterick, spent two weeks constructing and planting the garden. Thorp Perrow has a close association with Phoenix House.

In 2012 beneficiaries from Phoenix House helped create the Heroes Garden at Thorp Perrow with Faith, who also runs gardening activities at the centre.

Beneficiaries regularly visit the Arboretum as part of their Health and Wellbeing course.