22.05.07
Students bring home bronze from their Chelsea debut
Three students on University College Falmouth's BA(Hons)
degree in Garden Design won a bronze medal for their garden
at this year's Chelsea Flower Show. It was a dream come
true for Aline Dejaegher, Debra Craig and Karen Narramore,
all of whom are third year students on the innovative course
that runs in partnership with Duchy College at Rosewarne.
The Chelsea Flower Show, one of the most prestigious events
in the gardening calendar, attracts over 150,000 visitors
each year, as well as television viewers from around the world.
This event has provided these students with an enviable, professional
gardening debut before the best, the brightest and some of
the most distinguished names in the contemporary UK gardening
scene.
Their vision for Porthgwyr (Green Harbour) – a garden
that combines a Cornish arts café with gallery space,
and contemporary style with sustainability – caught
the eye and the imagination of the international media at
yesterday's press day. The garden was singled out in
the BBC's coverage of the event, including memorable
visits by Alan Titchmarsh and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, two
of the presenters of the BBC's Chelsea Flower Show Programme.
The garden has been extensively covered by radio and television
from around the world, including Japanese and Australian television
production teams.
"Absolutely ecstatic", "speechless"
and "couldn't be more thrilled" were the
reactions of the three students to the bronze medal and the
coverage their garden has received.
Their seaside gallery space is defined by its strong, sensuous
curves – a simple representation of the Cornish coastline
– providing a 'safe harbour' for the artwork
that has been created by students from University College
Falmouth's BA(Hons) degrees in Contemporary Crafts,
Fine Art, 3D Design and Textile Design. Ben Barrell's
curved 'Crescent Bench' cantilevers over a pool
of water. The shape, colour and texture of the planting was
designed to create an atmosphere of seclusion, privacy and
quiet. A light, airy canopy reflects the openness of the gallery
space, whilst vibrant green and glossy silver foliage reflect
available sunlight.
"We wanted to create a garden that captured the
spirit of Cornwall, that made people stop and stare, and that
promoted sustainability so we have utilised environmentally
sustainable materials wherever possible," adds
Debra. "Locally grown sweet chestnut decking from
Tregothnan Estate has been lined with setts created from recycled
glass by UCF BA(Hons) Contemporary Crafts students, Tammy
Falls and Louise Batchelor, to mimic light on water, and the
walls are coated in a natural lime wash of saffron provided
by the Cornish Lime Company."
The students and their course leaders all gave heartfelt
thanks to the many Cornish businesses whose contributions
made this debut at Chelsea possible. Hardy Exotics, Trevena
Cross, Duchy Nurseries and Bond Landscaping were some of the
companies praised for their support.
"I am absolutely delighted with this result after
all the hard work, thought and effort that went into producing
our garden at Chelsea. The students have enjoyed a fantastic
roller coaster ride. I think they should be very proud of
their achievements, as are we," says BA(Hons) Garden
Design Course Leader, Richard Sneesby, who is himself a Chelsea
medal winner.
Porthgwyr may be the fulfilment of one ambition, but what
is certain is that this talented trio is set to go far.
For further information please contact Jilly Easterby, Head
of Public Affairs at University College Falmouth on 07825
420690/07743 164434 or email jilly.easterby@falmouth.ac.uk.
The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the
Isles of Scilly has invested in the Combined Universities
in Cornwall (CUC) project, both Phase 1 and Phase 2, through
the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European
Social Fund (ESF). University College Falmouth is a partner
of the CUC.
Editor's notes:
About University College Falmouth
University College Falmouth is internationally renowned for
its undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in art, design
and media. In March 2004, its standing and quality were recognised
when the Privy Council granted the College the power to award
its own taught degrees.
University College Falmouth is a founding partner in the
Combined Universities in Cornwall, a unique initiative to
promote regional economic regeneration through higher education.
The CUC is funded mainly by the European Union (Objective
One), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the
Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support
from Cornwall County Council.
For further information, visit www.falmouth.ac.uk.
About BA(Hons) Garden Design at University College
Falmouth
At Falmouth, good garden design is about great thinking. And
what better place to stimulate thinking than the most visually
rich college in the country, where you are never short of
inspiration – from the rugged landscape and sub-tropical
gardens of Cornwall to the stimulation of studying with other
artists?
The only Garden Design course in the UK based at a college
of art, design and media, Falmouth takes a unique approach;
addressing the discipline from a visual perspective but grounding
it firmly in design and horticulture. Through our partnership
with Duchy College, you'll learn about organic practice,
conservation, soil and plants at the same time as developing
your design skills, creativity and fully-rounded knowledge
of garden making. From conception and planning to the creation
and management of landscapes, you'll master all stages
of the garden design process, making models and prototypes
as well as producing a variety of graphics to convey your
designs.
There are three key components to our approach; place, people
and environment, and an emphasis on designing public as well
as private spaces. History and culture, different people's
needs and environmental responsibility all play important
roles in creating gardens and smaller site-specific public
spaces, and on graduation you'll have a full understanding
of how these components interact when fulfilling a client's
brief. You'll also spend time working with the local
community, designing rural estates, urban spaces, sculpture
parks and show gardens, and on live projects.
Add to that lectures from experienced staff and high-profile
guest speakers, demonstrations and the most amazing natural
surroundings and you've got the recipe for garden design
success.
For further information about BA(Hons) Garden Design: Arts
& Environment at University College Falmouth, please visit
www.falmouth.ac.uk/gardendesign,
email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk
or contact Admissions on 01326 214382 (for the full-time option)
or 01326 214383 (for the part-time route). For information
on the College's forthcoming Garden Design Summer School
with award-winning garden designers, Richard Sneesby and Alistair
Rivers, please visit www.falmouth.ac.uk/business,
email business@falmouth.ac.uk
or contact Business Relations on 01326 370444.
About Duchy College Rosewarne
Duchy College is Cornwall's College of the Countryside. It
prides itself on being one of the leading landbased colleges
in the country, and is based on two main campus sites –
Stoke Climsland in the east of Cornwall which is 25 minutes
outside of Plymouth, and Rosewarne in the west, just outside
of Camborne.
In addition to the two main sites the College also has two
smaller sites: Feadon Farm, which provides agriculture courses
and support for veterinary nursing and animal care students
at Rosewarne, whilst its Wadebridge Centre located on the
Royal Cornwall Showground offers many subjects including creative
crafts, but mainly concentrates on agriculture.
For further information about Duchy College Rosewarne, please
visit www.cornwall.ac.uk/duchy,
email rosewarne.enquiries@duchy.ac.uk
or telephone 01209 722100.
About Bond Landscaping
Bond Landscaping, part of the family-run business WH Bond
& Sons Ltd, based in South East Cornwall, undertakes both
commercial and residential, hard and soft landscaping. The
company offered funding, hands-on help and a wealth of experience
to the student designers following a local television news
report that their garden had been selected for the RHS Chelsea
Flower Show.
For further information about Bond Landscaping, please visit
www.whbond.co.uk,
email enquiries@whbond.co.uk
or telephone 0800 298 3632.
Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439
cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk
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