Monty Don and gardening’s biggest names visit Derby College Group’s award-winning show garden

Denise's plan (Credit: DCG)

Following the news that Derby College Group (DCG) horticulture students had won a Silver Medal at BBC Gardeners’ World Live for their show garden ‘The Artist’s Garden’, the college has since revealed the wealth of high-profile attention the garden attracted at the NEC Birmingham, including a visit from gardening icon Monty Don and a feature on the BBC Gardeners’ World programme itself.

The garden was designed and built entirely by students on the college’s adult part-time Level 3 Horticulture Practical Skills course, based at DCG’s Broomfield Hall site in Morley, Ilkeston, under the guidance of course tutor Paul Brady. It was also named runner-up in the show’s prestigious People’s Choice Award, voted for by members of the public.

Adam Frost was filmed walking through ‘The Artist’s Garden’ for the BBC Gardeners’ World programme, the first time in the college’s 25-year history at the show that a presenter has been filmed walking through a DCG-built garden. Monty Don also visited the garden during the show, alongside Frances Tophill, Sue Kent, Professor Alice Roberts and Italian chef Gennaro Contaldo, each taking time to talk with the students about their work and the inspiration behind the design.

The garden’s designer, Denise Rice of The Garden Spirit, is herself a student on the course, bringing a unique collaborative spirit to the project. Inspired by the real garden of a Derbyshire artist, ‘The Artist’s Garden’ reflects more than 70 years of creative evolution shaped by the artist and her parents, in a life where art, making and growing are deeply intertwined.

Blending artistic expression with the practical charm of a traditional country cottage garden, the 11m x 9m space features a vibrant palette of herbaceous perennials framing a floral-clad rustic arch, a willow arbour constructed from locally grown willow, an informal pathway of reclaimed Bonsall limestone inlaid with handcrafted fine china mosaics, a small orchard with meadow grass underfoot, and productive vegetable beds at its heart. The mosaics were hand-crafted by Denise using vintage china donated by residents of Belper, Swadlincote and Leicester, giving treasured family pieces a new lease of life within the design.

Beyond the visiting celebrities, the week was packed with activity for the student team, who spent the show talking to thousands of visitors, fielding questions from fellow gardeners and enthusiasts, and watching the garden come alive with the public reaction that ultimately helped secure its People’s Choice runner-up placing.

The Silver Medal adds yet another honour to an extraordinary record of achievement: the college’s tradition of creating award-winning show gardens at BBC Gardeners’ World Live stretches back more than 25 years, including a Silver Gilt for the Buddhist Vihara Garden in 2025, a Platinum Award in 2024, and a Silver Merit Award in 2023.

Jon Collins, Vice Principal for Derby College Group said: “We already knew our students had won a Silver Medal, but what has really struck us since is just how much attention ‘The Artist’s Garden’ attracted at the show itself. Having Monty Don visit, and Adam Frost filmed walking through the garden for the BBC Gardeners’ World programme, is recognition of a different kind; it shows that what our students built genuinely stands alongside the best in the industry.

“Being named runner-up for the People’s Choice Award on top of that tells you everything about how visitors responded to their work. I couldn’t be prouder of the team.”

Paul Brady, Teacher of Horticulture, said: “This is exactly the kind of real-world challenge that brings out the very best in our students. Designing and constructing a show garden for BBC Gardeners’ World Live requires every skill they have developed on the programme: plantsmanship, construction, design and teamwork, and they have risen to it brilliantly. The concept of The Artist’s Garden is beautiful, and the students threw themselves into every detail of the build with incredible dedication. I am enormously proud of what they have achieved.”

Denise Rice, Show Garden Designer said: “Studying Garden Design and RHS Practical Horticulture at Derby College has given me the skills and confidence to design and help build an award-winning show garden at Gardeners’ World Live. It was an amazing experience bringing my design to life, and even more rewarding to receive a Silver Medal and be named runner-up in the People’s Choice Award.

“The event itself was unforgettable – I had the pleasure of meeting inspiring figures in the gardening world, including Frances Tophill, Sue Kent, Adam Frost and Monty Don, as well as Professor Alice Roberts and chef Gennaro Contaldo. Having Adam Frost filmed walking through my garden for the Gardeners’ World programme was a real ‘pinch me’ moment, and I later learned it was the first time in the college’s 25-year history at the show that a presenter had been filmed walking through one of our gardens.

“Every element of the garden was thoughtfully designed, especially the hand-crafted mosaics I created using vintage china generously donated by the wonderful people of Belper, Swadlincote and Leicester, giving these treasured pieces a new lease of life while preserving the stories and memories they hold, which brought a real sense of community and meaning to the project. None of this would have been possible without the support of my lecturer, Paul Brady, my fellow students, and our sponsors, and it has given me the confidence and foundation to launch my own business, The Garden Spirit. This may be the end of one chapter, but it’s also the beginning of the next, and I’m excited to see where this journey takes me.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust said the organisation was proud to support ‘The Artist’s Garden’ at BBC Gardeners’ World Live. A statement said: “The garden’s thoughtful use of reclaimed and locally sourced materials, including the handcrafted mosaics, reflects the same spirit of care, craftsmanship and respect for heritage that underpins our own work across Derbyshire. We were delighted to see the talent of DCG’s students recognised with a Silver Medal, and we look forward to continuing to support the next generation of skilled craftspeople in the county.”

In keeping with DCG’s commitment to sustainability, the garden uses predominantly locally sourced and reclaimed natural materials, and all components will be dismantled, rehomed and repurposed after the show.