NS&I Invites Voters To Pick Their Favourite Sustainable Garden At BBC Gardeners World Live

Released on: June 5, 2009, 8:19 am
Author: National Savings and Investments
Industry: Financial

The NS&I sponsored Grow Your Own campaign is to showcase three gardens from 10 June in Birmingham.

For the second year, three unique and visionary garden designs have been selected to be displayed at the BBC Gardners' World Live event. The designs all feature modernity, sustainability and growing fruit and veg as key themes.

Visitors to the show will be able to vote for their favourite garden in the Grow Your Own area of the show which is also supported by NSI. The overall winner of the NS&I Growing Gardens Today Competition will be announced live on the Grow Your Own area stage by gardening expert Carol Klein on Sunday 14 June.

Of the competition, Carol Klein said. "I am thrilled to be announcing the overall winner of the NS&I Growing Gardens Today competition this year. This year's designs are hugely creative, incorporating recycled and sustainable materials while showing different ways to grow your own fruit and vegetables. NS&I is a big supporter of encouraging the public to grow their own in a sustainable and cost effective way."

Visitors to the show will also have the opportunity to pick up good gardening money-saving tips and ideas for contemporary working gardens. Expert gardeners will be giving practical demonstrations and advice on growing and using fruit, veg and herbs.

The winners:
Sheila Jean Dearing, a former bio-medical scientist, from Devon, has always been deeply interested in gardening and developed her passion further when she began cultivating her own gardens. Her design, 'Forest to Fork' (located at Stand GA25), combines creativity with science to produce a space that is both beautiful and practical. Designed using FSC softwood throughout, this garden demonstrates how a small space can be productive, low maintenance and eco-friendly with a modern feel.

Christopher Parry and Rene Humphrey from Bath, both graduated from the Oxford College of Garden Design in 2007 before going on to set up their own garden design business TwentyEightDesigns. 'Urban Veg' (located at Stand GA23) is the first show garden built by the duo and aims to show NEC visitors a contemporary space made for today's city lifestyle. Designed with sustainability in mind, the garden includes many recycling components such as reusable materials, a sleek built in compost bin and reclaimed bricks for walls.

Sally Wilding-Webb from Devon has a certificate in garden design and firmly believes that the roots of good garden design are in horticulture. Sally aims to show visitors that a garden can be a sustainable fruit and veg plot as well as an area of relaxation. Her design 'Everything in the garden' (located at Stand GA24), encompasses modern techniques - such as a pond to encourage wildlife, lavender to welcome bees for pollination and an array of fruit and vegetables.

All three gardens are located in the popular Grow Your Own area at the show. Voting commences at 9am on Wednesday 10 June 2009 and closes at midday on Sunday 14 June 2009.

ENDS

About NS&I
NS&I is one of the UK's largest financial providers with almost 27 million customers and over £92 billion invested. It is best known for Savings Bonds, but also offers Inflation-Beating Savings, Guaranteed Equity Bonds and Children's Bonus Bonds in its range of savings accounts. All products offer 100% security, because NS&I is backed by HM Treasury.

About the RHS
The RHS is the UK's leading gardening charity dedicated to advancing horticulture and promoting good gardening. Its charitable work includes undertaking scientific research into issues affecting gardeners, holding plant trials and educational events and activities.

NS&I PR contact:
Gill Stephens
National Savings and Investments
375 Kensington High Street
London
W14 8SD
020 7348 93449
www.nsandi.com