ONE Garden

The garden

Central to the design are colourful, UK produced sustainable bricks and a reflective water pool that adds gentle sound and visual interest. Multiple areas of mixed planting introduce texture, colour and seasonal variation, together creating a richly layered and soothing atmosphere. 

Inspired by the eight million people living alone in the UK, this garden is designed for a sustainability minded individual who happily lives independently and loves spending time encouraging nature and nurturing their plants. The garden encourages visitors to rethink traditional approaches, showing how sustainable materials and unconventional construction can successfully shape small, meaningful domestic gardens. 

The planting

With a predominantly green palette, the garden will be softly lifted by touches of white and pink. There is a strong focus on shade tolerant plants that are often overlooked, and the unsung heroes of the design. Around 500 plants will create a rich, layered feel, combining statement species, including: 

• Betula nigra for texture and resilience 

• Mahonia ‘Charity’ for evergreen structure and winter interest

• Deutzia ‘Strawberry Fields’ for early seasonal colour

• Anemanthele lessoniana for movement 

• Polypodium vulgare for evergreen softness

Sourced from a range of UK nurseries, the planting highlights the beauty, adaptability and quiet importance of shade loving plants within a sustainable, balanced garden. 

Sustainability

The garden features a network of raised flower beds constructed using innovative UK produced K-Briqs made from 95% construction waste and recycled colour pigments, assembled without conventional cement mortars. The UK sourced natural stone and recycled scaffolding boards add texture and character, while demonstrating inventive reuse of materials. The garden also incorporates environmentally sensitive hard landscaping, sustainable drainage principles and a rainwater friendly design, with the vast majority of surfaces being permeable.

The designer – Ian McBain

Originally trained as a three-dimensional designer, Ian went on to study the History of Design at the Royal College of Art. He later retrained as a garden designer, bringing together his design expertise and love of plants and has been creating beautiful, practical gardens for over 20 years. A fully registered member of the Society of Garden & Landscape Designers, this marks his third RHS show garden, following last year’s The Sleep in Beauty Garden, which was awarded a Silver-gilt medal. 

“Creating a show garden at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival is a wonderful challenge, and a great opportunity to showcase new ideas and techniques. The show visitors are friendly, encouraging and engaged, and the team at the Three Counties Showground is second to none. Having the Malvern Hills as a backdrop for our gardens is a very special added bonus,” says Ian.