Veteran Chelsea Flower Show designer ‘honoured' to win garden of the year award
Kazuyuki Ishihara designed Cha no Niwa – Japanese Tea Garden – for the annual horticultural event at the Royal Hospital Chelsea celebrating all things gardening.
He appeared jubilant at winning the newly named RHS Chelsea garden of the year prize – which is his 13th gold medal from the show – as he posed for photographs with his hands in the air and a beaming smile on his face.
Kazuyuki Ishihara (Yui Mok/PA)
After winning on Tuesday, Mr Ishihara said: 'I'm very honoured to receive this wonderful award – I never thought I'd have such a gift.
'I really still cannot believe it after working here for 20 years. It's such an honour to have it, thank you so much.'
Mr Ishihara's garden was created to give visitors a place for reflection, according to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), and the judging panel called it a 'masterclass'.
Chairwoman Hayley Skipper said: 'It is exquisitely detailed and delivers immersive, beautifully composed planting. Every viewpoint delivers exquisite compositions.
'The beautiful foliage throughout demonstrates the power of green. Perfect in scale, the trees are excellently proportioned.
Cha no Niwa – Japanese Tea Garden (Yui Mok/PA)
'The garden illustrates how designers do not have to use huge specimens, powerfully exemplifying an appreciation of beauty in detail. It is an immaculate delight.'
Mr Ishihara's design last year – Moroto no IE Garden, which featured vibrant acers and a tumbling waterfall – was visited by the King at the 2024 flower show.
Designers Tom Massey and Je Ahn won the best construction for a show garden award for The Avanade Intelligent Garden, which featured a fungal wall constructed from ash timber from diseased trees.
Joe and Laura Carey took home both the RHS Chelsea small garden of the year and RHS Chelsea best construction for a small garden awards for The Addleshaw Goddard: Freedom to Flourish Garden.
The Avanade Intelligent Garden (Yui Mok/PA)
The RHS environmental innovation award was given to Allon Hoskin and Robert Beaudin with Modular for The Pathway Garden, which used reclaimed materials in its design.
Ryan McMahon won the best all about plants garden award for his Seawilding.
The RHS Chelsea plant of the year was awarded to Philadelphus Petite Perfume Pink ('P1'), bred by Alan Postill, which was lauded for its unusual pink colour for a species that is usually white.
The show opened to members of the public on Tuesday, but celebrities were afforded a sneak preview the day before.
Cate Blanchett, Dame Joanna Lumley and David Tennant were among those who attended the world famous event on Monday, along with Sir David Suchet and Zoe Ball, before the King and Queen were given a tour.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Edinburgh Live
2 hours ago
- Edinburgh Live
Kate Middleton's down to earth response when asked 'who are you' by school child
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info During Royal visits, Princess Kate often faces curious inquiries about the reality of royal life from members of the public. While meeting with crowds is generally a thrill for many, some onlookers are left wondering about the commotion surrounding royals. One memorable moment occurred in 2023 when Kate, alongside Prince William, visited Burghead Primary School in Moray, Scotland. The Prince and Princess of Wales delighted the children as they toured the school, and Kate even sportingly timed a student's bike race. READ MORE - Kate Middleton's royal title 'almost went to someone else' before 'intervention' READ MORE - The giant lost Edinburgh building that once took up half of the Meadows Interacting with the pupils, Catherine gave one a high-five, saying, "I really like your school," leading a bold youngster to candidly ask the future Queen, "Who are you?". Kate gracefully sidestepped her full Royal stature, simply indicating her husband and replying: "I'm married to William," Her down-to-earth approach continued when another child at the school quizzically inquired: "Are you a Prince?", reports the Mirror. With a gentle shake of her head, Kate clarified: "I'm not a Prince. I'm the Duchess of Cambridge. Lots of people call me Catherine." And when an eager little girl called out, "She's a Princess!" Kate engaged her warmly, asking, "Are you? Are you a Princess?" After the girl negated, Kate responded affectionately: "Aww, you look like one in your beautiful pink coat." Later in the day, Prince William was playfully challenged by another cheeky youngster who inquired about his age. When the prince turned the question around to guess his age, he feigned shock at their answer of 57, exclaiming: "I'm not that old." The Princess of Wales, Kate, is well-acquainted with humorous cases of mistaken identity during Royal engagements, recalling a particularly amusing interaction with a care home resident in 2020. In 2020, the Prince and Princess of Wales visited a Cardiff care facility to meet face-to-face with residents they had previously engaged with via Zoom during the pandemic's early stages. During their visit, the Royal pair chatted with 87 year old Joan Drew-Smith, who didn't hesitate to critique their bingo-calling skills from an earlier virtual game with the residents. William joked with Joan: "You may not recognise us, but we played bingo with you and you won. But you said we didn't do a very good job?" To which Joan candidly replied: "No, you did a s*** job," prompting laughter and an amused response from William: "Excellent!". Joan then directed her attention to Kate, who sat beside William donning a mask, and asked: "Is this your assistant?" Kate responded with good humour: "Well, I'm his assistant! I have been for a long time!". Following Joan's spirited comments, William expressed his fondness for her to the staff, remarking post-visit: "She's brilliant." Despite her current widespread recognition, there was a time before her 2011 marriage to William when Kate, now the Princess of Wales, went unnoticed by the public. Royal butler Grant Harrold has shared an insight into a moment from the past, revealing that Kate was once left "standing alone" during King Charles' 60th birthday celebrations in 2008, seemingly unnoticed by other guests. Speaking to MyLondon, he recounted: "I went over and chatted to her while we waited for Will to come in and it was quite sweet. But now - could you imagine Kate in the middle of a room and no one speaking to her? It just wouldn't happen, she'd be mobbed."
Daily Record
14 hours ago
- Daily Record
Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle's furious row that 'ripped the monarchy to pieces'
Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton were said to have had a furious row during a clear-the-air meeting in 2018 A Royal expert has described a crucial meeting between Prince William, Prince Harry, Kate and Meghan as an event that "ripped the monarchy to pieces". The explosive encounter reportedly took place in June 2018 when the Prince and Princess of Wales sat down with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex amid rising tensions after Harry and Meghan's wedding. The situation escalated post-ceremony, as recounted in Prince Harry's memoir 'Spare', who cited early turbulence involving his wife and his sister-in-law. He detailed a dispute concerning bridesmaid dresses prior to his wedding which purportedly left Meghan in tears, mentioning that Kate "grimaced" when Meghan used her lip gloss. In an effort to resolve matters, both couples convened for a candid discussion after the Sussexes returned from their honeymoon. The atmosphere during the chat reportedly grew so fraught that it caused physical signs of distress in the Princess of Wales. According to Harry's depiction in 'Spare', the intense air-clearing session at Kensington Palace saw Kate demand an apology from Meghan while clenching a leather sofa, which saw her "fingers turn white". Harry detailed in 'Spare' that Kate's request stemmed from a comment Meghan made about her pregnancy hormones, referring to it as "baby brain". Meghan apparently offered her apologies, justifying the contentious remark as commonplace amongst her circle of friends, reports the Mirror. The situation escalated when Harry alleged that William "pointed a finger at Meg", and reportedly admonished: "Well, it's rude, Meghan. These things are not done here." Harry claims Meghan retorted: "If you don't mind, keep your finger out of my face." In the new Channel 5 documentary 'Meghan vs Kate: The Meeting That Changed the Monarchy', Royal commentators suggest this encounter was pivotal for the Sussexes, setting in motion their eventual departure from Royal duties. Richard Kay of the Daily Mail posited that this was the moment "the seed of Megxit was sewn", while his colleague Sarah Hewson reflected: "Had that meeting been a success, had they been able to put their differences aside, things would have been very different indeed." Newsweek's chief Royal correspondent Jack Royston commented: "If only they'd listened. If Meghan had listened to what was being said to her, she could have changed way back in 2018. "And even if they had still quit the monarchy, they could have saved themselves so much pain and so much conflict." He went on: "What happened in that room back in June 2018 was the defining element of the relationship between the two couples that ripped the monarchy to pieces." Valentine Low, a noted Royal author, also remarked: "They had pathetic little differences that should have been sorted out in two minutes. But it helped fuel the flames." Harry's candid reflections in his memoir 'Spare' come as Meghan shared her experiences with the royals on their Netflix series. Recounting their earliest encounters, she expressed surprise at the private formality of the Royal family members. In the second instalment of their six-part Netflix documentary, 'Harry and Meghan', the Duchess discussed her first impressions of her brother-in-law and wife Kate. "When Will and Kate came over, and I met her for the first time, they came over for dinner, I remember I was in ripped jeans and I was barefoot," Meghan explained. "I was a hugger. I've always been a hugger, I didn't realise that that is really jarring for a lot of Brits." The mother-of-two elaborated further on the Royal customs saying: "I guess I started to understand very quickly that the formality on the outside carried through on the inside. "There is a forward-facing way of being, and then you close the door and go 'You can relax now', but that formality carries over on both sides. And that was surprising to me." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
POLL: What do you think to Prince Harry's strange plan for his kids?
Prince Harry and Meghan may have stepped back from royal life - but they're not shutting the palace gates for their kids just yet. The couple reportedly want Archie and Lilibet to keep their titles, sparking debate over whether it's about choice … or mixed messages. Despite Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepping away from their royal duties and all the palace drama a while ago, it seems they're keeping the door open for their kids to walk a different path. They reportedly want Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to hang onto their royal titles - just in case they decide they do want to be working royals one day. Apparently, Harry and Meghan see it as giving their kids the option when they're older. But here's where it gets a bit sticky, as the 'plan' comes after the source claimed the Sussexes feared passports for their children were being held up due to the use of their royal titles. It has all raised a few eyebrows., with former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond asking why the Sussexes are holding so tightly to the titles when they've been so outspoken about wanting out of the royal system in the first place. So, what do you think? Is Harry being thoughtful about giving his kids future choices — or is it a bit contradictory after everything he and Meghan have said about the monarchy? What do you think to Harry's plan? Take our poll below. If you can't see it, click here Jennie Bond told the Mirror: "I really don't understand why, having extricated themselves from a life they did not enjoy and in which Harry has publicly spoken of 'feeling trapped', they want to give their children the option of re-joining. It makes no sense. "Who knows what's going to happen in the future? But it's very hard to see how two children who are clearly now more American than British would want to change their whole way of life and become working members of the royal family." Archie and Lilibet got prince and princess titles when their grandfather King Charles became monarch in 2022. The first time their titles were formally announced was after Lilibet's christening in March 2023. Due to the reported hold-up in their British passports, it is said that Harry started to explore the possibility of changing his family surname to Spencer in a nod to his late mother, Princess Diana. And Jennie added: "I think Harry has always been more Spencer than Windsor, so if he was ever going to change his name, it would be to Spencer. "But this would be a final nail in the coffin of his relationship with his father and his brother. It would amount to a public declaration that he no longer saw himself as part of the royal family." There has been continued controversy over the Sussexes' HRH titles since the pair quit their royal roles five years ago. As part of their Megxit negotiations with the Palace, Meghan and the Duke of Sussex agreed to stop using 'Her Royal Highness' and 'His Royal Highness' at the end of March 2020. They still retain the styles, with Harry having had his since birth, but they are essentially held in abeyance. However, earlier this year, it emerged Meghan had used her HRH style on a gift basket sent to make-up entrepreneur Jamie Kern Lima last year, with a monogrammed card reading: 'With Compliments of HRH The Duchess of Sussex'. Kern Lima showed an image of the present in footage of her podcast interview with Meghan. It contained a jar of Meghan's jam which she has started selling as part of her As Ever lifestyle business brand. A source described the basket as a 'personal gift'. The duchess's representatives denied that the couple used them, but a source later said that the Sussexes did not use HRH publicly but retained the style, and did not use it for commercial purposes.
