This innovative competition designed by Mrs Kath Crouch is unique to Taunton Flower Show.

Two expert garden designers compete head to head in the design and creation of a unique garden. Each design will be built in a given area in just two hours, using plants chosen by the competitors from one of the two sponsoring garden centres.

The Competition starts at 10am on Friday with the two competitors, making their plant dash to separate garden centres! They choose their plants up to a retail value of £500 and at 2.00 pm the two competitors will start to build their gardens, the plants remaining in their containers which are hidden by bark chippings. Each competitor is allowed to bring their own hardstanding materials for perhaps a path or patio and they are also allowed to select three items of non-plant material such as an arch or trellis from the garden centre. At 4.00pm, the gardens are judge and the winner is awarded the Cann Cup given by Mrs C Cann in memory of her late husband William Cann.

On Saturday the event is re-run with a second set of competitors and starts again at 2 pm. The competitors use the same plants as those chosen for the Friday competition but may incorporate different hardstanding materials. The winner on Saturday is awarded the Kearle Cup given by Mrs A Kearle.

Competitors and Winners

2011

Friday: Sally Hebeler (Winner); Clifford Cheesman (Runner up)

Saturday: Gavin English (Winner); Richard Fox and Steve Hayward (Runner up)

2010

Friday: White Post Nursery (Winner); James Coles of J C Plants (Runner up)

Saturday: Stuart Hendrich (Cannington College) (Winner)

2009

Friday: Rosemary and David Freemantle (Winner); Sam Leaney (Runner up)

Saturday: Nicky Saunter (Winner);

2008

Friday: Jenny Short Garden Design (Winner); Mark Walker (Runner up)

Saturday: Avery Garden Services (Winner); Daniel Beer (Runner up)

2007

Friday: Kath Crouch (Winner); Sally Leaney (Runner Up)

There was no Saturday competition in 2007.