Garden design firm boss 'hugely proud' after protege's RHS success

A GARDEN design firm based in Comberbach has a lot to celebrate this summer.

Evergreen Cheshire Ltd designs, builds, and maintain gardens for its clients, as well as growing lots of its own plants at its dedicated private nursery in Comberbach.

The business was started by gardener Alaster McAnaw in 1999, with just a few hundred pounds savings, an old Land Rover, and a few borrowed tools.

The 44-year-old now employs 34 staff, including a full-time in-house landscape architect, 25-year-old Bradley Howarth, and the green-fingered duo have turned out to be something of a dream team.

Earlier this year, Bradley submitted a garden design to RHS Tatton for this year’s competition, which he’s called the Corten Garden, after the special type of steel planters it uses.

His design was selected by judges, and the team at Evergreen have taken on responsibility for building it in time for this year’s show, July 17 to 21.

Brad's design uses corten steel raised beds to separate the distinct areas (Image: Brad Howarth)

Alaster said: “We’re hugely proud of Brad and what he’s achieved.

“It’s brilliant to see younger people who’re interested in horticulture and landscaping because it feels like there’s not a lot of people coming through anymore.

“When you do find someone who is young and has the drive and passion to be able to do something like this, it’s a privilege to be able to help them achieve their dreams. It’s just a lovely thing.

“This kind of recognition is obviously wonderful for a young architect, but it’s also great for us as a business."

Brad's boss, Alaster McAnaw, says he's seeing fewer younger people coming though college with a passion for horticulture (Image: Evergreen Cheshire)

After the show at Tatton, the garden will be rebuilt at Evergreen’s Comberbach nursery, and will be available to view by appointment.

Brad said: “The idea for the garden is to show how you can create two rooms within such a small space.

“Using corten raised beds allows you to divide a tiny area into two distinct areas, one formal and one less formal.

“The planting is simple but effective, making it manageable for busy families. It’s multi-purpose, of one of those is being good for children.

“The archway is decorative, but it can also be used to attach swings and climbing ropes. It’s pretty interactive.”

Evergreen have been commissioned to build a second garden at RHS Tatton this year on behalf of the Woodland Trust.

Their entry, called 49 per cent garden, aims to raise awareness of the fact the UK has lost 49 per cent of its trees outside woodlands since 1850.