Young Designer of the Year winner

A winner emerges from the finalists Tristen Knight, Katherine Wills and Andrew Percival in the RHS National Young Designer of the Year Competition

The winner of the RHS National Young Designer of the Year 2012 is Tristen Knight (above left), designer of garden Brownfield Beauty. He scooped the coveted title while his garden received Silver Gilt at the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 2012.

HIs inspiration came from industrial architecture on brownfield sites in Victorian and 20th century Britain. These sites, often neglected and unloved can be transformed into gardens of great beauty and he reflects this in his garden perfectly.

Tristen Knight says: 'I tried to put a twist on the brief, so my design, Brownfield Beauty, was inspired by brownfield sites, like Battersea Power Station.'

'Colour' was the theme of the gardens by three young designers who bidded to take the title of RHS National Young Designer of the Year, by impressing the judges with their garden designs at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park.

All three finalists received £12,000 from the RHS towards building their garden at Tatton Park for the final of the RHS National Young Designer Competition in association with the SGD.

In second place came Katharine Wills, with her design ‘A Prison Garden for Rehabilitation through Wellbeing’; the garden explores the idea that colour can affect mood. Although there is no scientific study to reinforce the concept, it is generally accepted that certain colours are more calming than others, so there’s lots of green, and light indigo blues and then uplifting spots of yellow.

Andrew’s Percival's 'subversive pigments: articulating the DAYnight' focuses on the colour differences of a garden in daylight and at night under the amber glow of sodium lighting.

The RHS National Young Designer Competition in association with the SGD is open to students, as well as new and established designers, aged 28 and under.