Green-fingered Justine Jobson’s design for a garden to unite communities has won her a place at a prestigious flower show. Reporter MICHAEL PURTON found out more.
THIS year’s Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) London Plant and Design Show will feature a garden created by Greenhithe’s Justine Jobson.
Out of thousands of applications, the 30-year-old’s design for a front garden was chosen to be displayed at the exhibition in Westminster next Tuesday and Wednesday (Feb 16 and 17).
Her creation is titled Meeting the Neighbours, and she says the idea is to bring communities together by getting people out into their front garden.
She said: “It is about improving the community by turning front gardens from storage areas for bikes and wheelie bins into beautiful places where neighbours can sit and get to know one another.
“This would build up the friendships and community spirit that used to exist in neighbourhoods a few decades ago.”
Justine’s love of gardening began when she helped her parents tidy up their backyard as a child, and she has been designing gardens for friends and family for four years.
Last year she launched her own garden design business with two friends, but the RHS show will be the first time her creations have been displayed at a public event.
The Sara Crescent resident said: “I was delighted when I found out my design had been chosen, because it is quite an honour to be asked to do a RHS show.”
“I plant and put together the display myself, with some help from my dad, in the two days before the show.
“It will be very interesting and exciting to see what the public think of my design.”
Her parents Henry, 66, and 52-year-old Hazel will both be there to support her and she says they are “very proud “ of her success.
As one of the gardens on show, Justine’s creation will be in the running for an RHS award, and she says this would be an “amazing achievement” so early in her design career.
Her garden will be viewed by thousands of people at the show, and Justine is hoping this exposure will boost her new business by creating demand for her design skills.
She said: “At the moment I’m working at the Asda distribution centre in Greenhithe while building up the design business, but I hope one day to be so successful I can do it full time.”
For more information on Justine’s designs, go to gardendesigned.co.uk or email justine@gardendesigned.co.uk
- The Plant and Design Show is held in the RHS Horticultural Halls in Greycoat Street and Vincent Square in Westminster.
- It takes place on February 16 and 17 and thousands of people are expected to attend.
- This year’s theme is front garden and balcony display designs.
- For more details, go to rhs.org.uk
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