Welcome to Yorkshire wins gold at the Royal Chelsea Flower Show

The garden created by Welcome to Yorkshire at this years Royal Chelsea Flower Show has been awarded a gold medal by the Royal Horticultural Society.
Dame Judi Dench visits the garden. PIC: Simon DewhurstDame Judi Dench visits the garden. PIC: Simon Dewhurst
Dame Judi Dench visits the garden. PIC: Simon Dewhurst

This year is the 10th time the tourist board has presented a garden at the show.

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This year’s design is inspired by the county’s rich industrial heritage and celebrates both the vital role played by our canals and waterways historically and their current importance to tourism, leisure and well-being.

Ian McMillan with Peter Dodd, Welcome to Yorkshire's commercial director. PIC: Simon DewhurstIan McMillan with Peter Dodd, Welcome to Yorkshire's commercial director. PIC: Simon Dewhurst
Ian McMillan with Peter Dodd, Welcome to Yorkshire's commercial director. PIC: Simon Dewhurst

The aim of the garden is to showcase the county to the world and encourage people to visit and experience its beauty first hand.

Designed by Mark Gregory, the display brings West Yorkshire to the heart of London by incorporating a canal lock built from reclaimed York stone taking centre stage, a lock keeper's cottage, authentic lock gates and a perennial meadow.

The lock gates were recently removed from the Huddersfield narrow canal as part of routine maintenance and we donated to the display by the Canal and River Trust.

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Mr Gregory also designed the 2018 garden for the tourist board and scooped a gold medal, people's choice award and won the prize for best construction making it the most successful garden to date.

Welcome to Yorkshire's display at the Royal Chelsea Flower Show. PIC: Rachel WarneWelcome to Yorkshire's display at the Royal Chelsea Flower Show. PIC: Rachel Warne
Welcome to Yorkshire's display at the Royal Chelsea Flower Show. PIC: Rachel Warne

The canal has already attracted some famous faces with visits from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Dame Judi Dench, Bill Bailey, David Seamen, Channel 4's Jon Snow and poet Ian McMillan.

Welcome to Yorkshire has a strong track record for prizes at the show winning five silver medals, one gold and five people's choice awards for between 2010 and 2015.

From 2016 onward the organisation switched from presenting artisan gardens to larger show gardens winning silver medals in 2016 and 2017 and another gold last year.

Previous themes have included the Dales, the Yorkshire coast, York Minster and the Tour de Yorkshire.