News / Gardening
Bristol gardener shortlisted for Gardens of the Year Award
Matthew Symonds’ garden may be small, but it’s full to the brim of leafy foliage.
The Southville gardener has been shortlisted for the finals of the prestigious – get ready – BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Annual Garden of the Year People’s Choice Award.
This year’s award attracted almost 1,000 entries, but Matthew’s garden earned him the final spot against seven other gardens.
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“This is definitely the smallest garden amongst the finalists,” Matthew says, looking around the greenery that is close to enveloping him completely.
Mathew got the three pleached trees that make up the boundary as a 30th birthday present – photo: Matthew Symonds
Pots abound in this small garden – photo: Matthew Symonds
A running water feature streams into a corten steel trough – photo: Matthew Symonds
“People love seeing smaller gardens because they can relate to them. You can come into these gardens and think that you could do this.”
Matthew has put a lot of thought into making the most of the small space.
The house was raised above the garden below by at least a couple of metres when Matthew first arrived, so he installed a balcony/mezzanine with a glass front to make the different levels more subtle.
Corten steel troughs of different sizes and pleached trees add layer and depth to the space, creating a leafy micro-climate.
The house is north west facing so Mathew opted for green leafy textures that would be able to survive in the shade.
Matthew, who works for a charity that looks after rivers and canals, moved into his home in Southville 18 years ago. The garden then was full of broken concrete and overflowing brambles.
A small dining table is surrounded by foliage and newly planted bulbs – photo: Matthew Symonds
Judges were impressed with how much Matthew had been able to achieve with the space: “He wanted to create a serene and green space to step into, and our judges were impressed with how many features he’d managed to pack in: his pleached trees offer privacy, while a water feature and dining area create a relaxing environment.”
Mathew also helps organise the Bedminster Secret Gardens group which runs an annual ‘good gardens award’. The idea arose from a desire to make the local streets look nicer in order to get more people to walk and cycle.
Posters of the event are dotted around the nearby area, and the competition now extends to all of the BS3 area.
Matthew didn’t always have green fingers. He grew up with a small garden like most people. When his mother started using the small space to grow plants, watching the pleasure she gained from it eventually rubbed off on Matthew.
Public voting closes on November 14 and the winner of the People’s Choice Award will be announced in January
Main photo: Mia Vines Booth
Read more:
- Bristol gardener wins gold at Chelsea Flower show
- Hartcliffe-inspired film shortlisted for British independent film award
- Guerrilla gardening highlights climate emergency
- BBC comedy drama filmed in Bristol set to return to small screen
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