Student wins prestigious awards at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
James Clarke, a graduating student in Landscape Architecture from the University of Greenwich, has won a Gold Award at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.
He also scooped The Tudor Rose Award for the Best Show Garden. This is the highest accolade handed out by the Royal Horticultural Society.
James designed a show garden for The Tourism Authority of Thailand which included the growing of plants like lemongrass and chillies.
The Gold Award was presented to James by Elizabeth Banks, President of the RHS.
Elizabeth Banks is also a former Landscape Architecture graduate from the University of Greenwich. She has recently been elected as the first ever female president of the RHS.
The RHS website described the Thai garden as "representing a typical Bangkok riverside home. The plants surrounding the Sala are an inspiring blend of natural landscapes - towering tropical trees provide welcome shade, aromatic herbs grown for home cooking and scented flowers add character and colour".
James said: "The garden I've designed represents a slice of Bangkok canal life and features a small garden with herbs and vegetables growing in it. If visitors to the show are interested in Thai food, plants like lemongrass and chillies are quite easy to grow in the UK, even though they may need overwintering indoors."
Tom Turner, James's tutor in Landscape Architecture at the University of Greenwich, says: "James made an extraordinary effort to visit Thailand to study different plants and this research has really paid off. He has captured the lush essence of the country with sensitive design and rich planting. Responding to local character is always a challenge for garden designers, and it is a special pleasure to see a slice of Thailand at Hampton Court."
The Landscape & Garden Design department at the university is recognised as one of Europe's leading centres for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Landscape Architecture. The subject is taught at the university's Avery Hill Campus in South East London and Hadlow College in Kent.
James is not the only graduate from the university to win a prize at the Hampton Court show this year. Mandy Buckland also won a Gold Medal for a design that shows the importance of fruit production in Kent.
Other past prize-winning graduates from the University of Greenwich include Sarah Eberle who won nine Gold Medals and Elaine Hughes and Wendy Allen who both won one Gold Medal each, at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in previous years.
To find out more about studying for a career in landscape architecture, garden design or related subjects, call the University of Greenwich courses enquiry line on 0800 005 006 or e-mail: courseinfo@gre.ac.uk
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For further information, please contact:
Lee Armitt
Press Officer
University of Greenwich
020 8331 9420
Notes to editors:
Picture caption : Tom Turner (left) congratulates James Clarke on his winning design.
This is James' second show garden for the Tourism Authority of Thailand at Hampton Court. He was awarded a Royal Horticultural Society Silver Gilt Award for his 2009 design.
To see a 360 degree view of the Thailand Garden and image gallery, visit the RHS website at:
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Shows-Events/Hampton-Court-Palace-Flower-Show/2010/Gardens/A-to-Z/Reflections-of-Thailand