Somerset Garden Designer Reaches Final of Chris Beardshaw Scholarship Competition 10th May 2011

A budding garden designer from Weston-super-Mare, with his sights set on a successful horticultural career, has reached the final stage of a national search for green fingered stars of the future.

Paul Cantello, of Locking, entered the Chris Beardshaw Mentoring Scholarship (CBMS) competition, sponsored by Bradstone, which rewards one promising designer with a 12 month vocational scholarship created by the award winning garden designer and TV presenter.

Competing against 10 other aspiring finalists, Paul has been assessed over the last five months by the CBMS team whilst working on his ‘Atom’ themed garden design ‘Breathe’ which is being unveiled at the prestigious Malvern Spring Gardening Show this week.

The judging panel, comprising Chris Beardshaw, Biddy Bolsover from Aggregate Industries and Elizabeth Banks, President of the Royal Horticultural Society, will visit all CBMS show gardens before choosing the next scholar

Paul said:  “The CBMS provides garden designers with a once in a lifetime opportunity and I’m extremely excited to have reached this stage of the competition. I hope that the scholarship will help me to become a better designer and give me greater recognition in the industry and in my region. If I were to win, it would give me more opportunities to showcase my work and push my ideas further.

I can’t wait to see my finished design at the Malvern Show and of course to find out whether I’m the successful scholar!”

Launched in 2007 to nurture up and coming garden designers, the CBMS offers one scholar each year the chance to work alongside Chris Beardshaw as well as receive invaluable business advice and technical support from Bradstone, an Aggregate Industries business, and gain work experience within the industry. The scholarship culminates in them designing and building a show garden for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the premier event in the horticultural calendar.

Chris Beardshaw, who has won a host of RHS Gold Medals and Best in Show awards, said: “The Chris Beardshaw Mentoring Scholarship is a unique vocational scheme which aims to raise the profile of the landscape design industry and highlight just what it takes to become a professional. The calibre of this year’s finalists has been extremely high so whether they’re the successful scholar or not they should all be very proud of their achievements.”

Mike Leeming, director of sales for Bradstone, adds: “The CBMS enables us to see our products at their best, with the show gardens demonstrating fresh ideas and creativity in how they’re used. The finalists have an excellent platform to showcase their work and visitors to the show will find plenty of inspiration and new ideas that they can apply to their own designs.”

The newly crowned scholar will gain work experience almost immediately by spending a day helping the CBMS team and outgoing scholar, Maria Luisa Medina, on the ‘Bradstone Fusion Garden’, part of the Urban Garden category at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The Malvern Spring Gardening Show is being held at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern, Worcestershire from (12 – 15 May). For information call the Hotline on 01684 584924 or visit the website www.threecounties.co.uk/springgardening

Editor’s Notes:

For further information about the Chris Beardshaw Mentoring Scholarship visit www.chrisbeardshaw.com/scholarshipor www.bradstone.com/chrisbeardshaw. For further information about Bradstone products or to obtain a copy of the new brochure email: bradstone.garden@aggregate.comor telephone the Bradstone consumer helpline: 01335 372289

 

For more information about Bradstone, contact: Heather Power/Rosie Marshalsay at HTPR on 0121 355 3446 (www.bradstone.comor www.aggregate.com)

For more information about the CBMS, contact: Jane Southcott PR on 01275 852026 or 07787 527430.

Additional Information:

  • Launched in 2007 to nurture up and coming garden designers, the CBMS offers one scholar each year the chance to work alongside Chris Beardshaw as well as receive invaluable business advice and technical support from Bradstone, an Aggregate Industries business, and gain work experience within the industry. The scholarship culminates in them designing and building a show garden for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the premier event in the horticultural calendar. 
  • Paul’s garden is inspired by the oxygen atom and the atom’s nucleus is symbolised by eight raised platforms that act as resting spaces – a neutral environment – and eight protons are signified by medicinal plants for their positive influence. The planting scheme features a mix of spring-flowering perennials and evergreen shrubs, their texture and colour contrasting with the lard landscaping. Although the garden is conceptual and ornamental, it is also an area for exploration, relaxation and discovery.
  • Bradstone, an Aggregate Industries business, has been leading the way in domestic landscaping for more than 50 years, supplying a comprehensive range of paving, walling, edging, decorative stone and driveway products.Aggregate Industries quarries, manufactures and supplies a wide range of materials to the construction industry. Through continued innovation and investment it has been certified The Responsible Source offering a diverse portfolio of sustainable solutions to complement its traditional product offering. Operating across the UK, Channel Islands and northern Europe, Aggregate Industries is a member of the Holcim Group.

The Malvern Spring Gardening Show is a fund raising event and a joint venture of the Three Counties Agricultural Society (Registered charity no: 511868) and the Royal Horticultural Society (No: 222879).

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