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Award-Winning SwimPond and Garden Experience

BBC Gardeners’ World Live 2022

Dive into our award-winning natural water swimming pond and show garden at BBC Gardeners’ World Live 2022! Experience a serene oasis of beauty and innovation.

It started with a Dream to create the largest show garden to be seen!

Two great friends (Michael Wheat and Barry Randall) and two fantastic businesses (Michael Wheat Group and The Garden design Co.) joined forces and collaborated to design this spectacle.

The Inspiration Behind the Design

Designed with the whole family in mind, the garden and natural water swimming pond is inspired by nostalgic memories of childhood play, recollecting moments of swinging over the lake on a branch tied to a tree and pond dipping for tadpoles.

This large rural setting has ample room to explore, blending a controlled and ornamental setting into a naturalised and rugged environment seamlessly.

Contemporary in design with linear boardwalks and jetties complemented with traditional textures created by rustic wood look composite timber and clay pavers, the timeless selection of materials merges the garden with the surrounding landscape.

A modern look outdoor cabin provides a destination within a great landscape, housing everything you need to enjoy a retreat away without leaving your home.

Encompassed by a jewelled toned palette of plants the vibrant selection of oranges, purples and greens provides a zesty and refreshing feel to the ornamental borders creating a clear divide between the controlled landscape and the softer more naturalised planting of meadow turf and trees around open water.

Beached regeneration areas around the large swim zone encourages wildlife and allows people and nature to enjoy the garden harmoniously.

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View a Time-lapse of the build here

How Long did it take to build?

We challenged ourselves to the extreme with this project. Usually, such a project would take anything from 4 weeks onwards. However, for this project, It was all hands to the pump with the two companies’ working around the clock over a two-week period. The 4000 working hours result in a stunning Garden Experience.

The Finished Show Piece

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What did people think of the Show Garden “The Living Landscape – A Nostalgic Experience”?

Award – Winners!

Construction Landscaper of the Year 2022

Silver Merit Award

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They loved it, Everyone who walked through our Show Garden fell in love with it.

People enjoyed having their photos on the Swing.

Listening to the soothing sound of water which trickled from the milestones and, we even had people dipping their toes in the SwimPond.


It definitely was a trip down memory lane “A Nostalgic Experience”.

Overall, a Great Success. We hope you enjoyed it.

What was it like attending our first show?

Fantastic, We got to meet Monty Don, Rachel De Thame and Adam Frost.

Our project which we co designed with the Garden design co also opened and closed Gardeners World live on.

(link below).

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0018ccz/gardeners-world-2022-episode-14

BBC Gardeners World Live 2022

Thank you

We couldn’t have done this with out the support of our employees and our suppliers…