Our RHS Tatton Flower Show 2024 sponsors

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 Designed in this our Centenary Year 2024, based on an idea by our youngest Allotmenteer and Aspiring Local Garden Designer - Harry Dean a former Reaseheath College and University student.

With a design concept and planting scheme by Harry it was built by allotment holders at the RHS In Tatton Park in the summer of 2024, before then being gifted to the people of Winsford and painstakingly rebuilt at Over Recreation ground (opposite the bowling club) in Winsford, Cheshire.

 A Gourd Time offers new design ideas to be applied in your own garden. Either on a large scale or in a small urban space. 

 The inspiration for A Gourd Time stems from a record-breaking pumpkin grown on our allotment site in 1990. 

Former plot holder Albert Palfreyman; grew a giant pumpkin that weighed 579lb, thus briefly holding the British heaviest pumpkin record. 

Albert kept seeds from his prize winning pumpkin in an attempt to re-create his success.

To this day Albert keeps trying and was kind enough to donate some of these seeds for the RHS show pumpkin which did'nt quite reach Albert's level of success in growth but which did help us bring a Gold home as the first ever UK Allotment site to do so, and in our Centenary Year.

  The central motif of ‘A Gourd Time’ is edible and ornamental planting that represents and reflects a pumpkin thriving in a vegetable patch. 

The planting scheme in the space is a hot colour palette of glowing yellows, vibrant Reds and smoky oranges with lush green foliage. The planting is designed to be attractive to the naked eye and beneficial to pollinators. 

 Reinforcing the idea of fork to plate, the border can be derived from 2 words - harvest and habitat. 

A place where we can harvest and habitat along with wildlife. 

Allotment sites are a vital food source for wildlife and aid biodiversity. 

Along with the human benefits of cultivating an allotment  . 

 The combined elements of sight, scent, sound, touch and taste help connect people with nature. 

A Gourd Time has the power to unify, to delight and to bring people together. It deals with human – nature interaction. 

Mind, Body and Spirit are all nurtured as is Nature

The overall design is balanced not occupying a single focal point / destination. Create a sense of place, not an area you walk past/through.

You are invited to stop by Over Recreational Park to enjoy. 

The Raised Border has formality, unity rhythm, similar forms, shapes, foliage, different textures, levels, colours. Bold Hard structures are softened by the planting.

The colour palette, Shou shugi ban preserved pine posts, Corten Steel structures all come together in harmony to unite the space creating the sense of a pumpkin.”

The RHS design will be present until end of season 2024 when we hope to replant the raised bed with a selection of community vegetables for people to use.

Of course; none of this would be possible without our fabulous local sponsors, businesses who place community spirit and mindfulness at the heart of all that they strive to achieve, please visit and support them by clicking the links on our sponsor page.

We couldn't have done it without all of you and of course the faith and belief of Winsford Town Council and a handful of Allotmenteers who followed and dared to believe in a 19 year old's dream of winning RHS gold.

A real story of what can happen when you dare to dream, add in some hard work, determination, self belief and team spirit. 

Thank you Over Allotments and thank you Winsford, we hope you enjoy seeing it and reading about it.