RHS Badminton 2026 -
Gold Medal Show Garden Build
From an empty plot to an RHS Gold Medal-winning show garden. Discover how Bristol Garden Club helped bring Darren Gillingham's 'PlantWild: The Pollinators' Sanctuary Garden' to life through sustainable construction, innovative engineering and meticulous craftsmanship.
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The Bristol Garden Club team arriving on site before construction began. Fun fact: this photo was taken at the wrong plot before we realised our mistake!
Constructing an RHS Gold Medal Winning Garden
Every RHS show garden starts as an empty plot of grass.
Over just a few days, our team transformed this blank canvas into PlantWild: The Pollinators' Sanctuary Garden—a Gold Medal-winning show garden designed by Darren Gillingham for RHS Badminton 2026.
Working to strict build schedules and exhibition standards, every stage of construction had to be carefully planned before arriving on site. There was no room for delays or mistakes, with every level, feature and sequence of works meticulously organised before the first spade entered the ground.
The result was a garden that showcased not only beautiful planting but also innovative engineering, sustainable construction and exceptional craftsmanship.
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Setting out the garden
Before any excavation could begin, the garden had to be accurately set out from the designer's plans.
Every curve, planting bed and structural feature was measured and marked to ensure the finished garden reflected Darren Gillingham's original vision. With a relatively compact footprint, even small inaccuracies would have been noticeable once the major features were installed.
After setting out, we carefully prepared the site for excavation, creating the foundations for the bee towers, water feature and central planting areas.
The success of every landscaping project starts with careful preparation, and RHS show gardens are no different.
Every RHS show garden begins with careful setting out and site preparation.
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Excavation underway for the bespoke concrete-free Bee Post foundation system.
Engineering a Concrete-Free Foundation
One of the biggest construction challenges centred around the garden's eight Green & Blue Bee Posts.
Each Bee Post weighed approximately 75kg, creating a combined structural weight of around 600kg.
Ordinarily, installations of this size would rely on concrete foundations to provide stability.
However, sustainability was at the heart of the project, and the garden was designed to avoid concrete wherever possible.
This required us to develop an alternative foundation system that was strong enough to support the Bee Posts while remaining completely removable once the show had finished.
It became one of the most technically interesting parts of the build.
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Engineering the Concrete-Free Bee Post Foundation System
Working alongside the garden designer, we developed a bespoke structural foundation system to securely support the eight Green & Blue Bee Posts without using concrete.
Each foundation box was fabricated from surplus OSB board, giving materials from previous landscaping projects a second life. Reclaimed timber joists sourced from the Bristol Wood Recycling Project formed the main structural framework beneath the Bee Posts.
Each post was securely connected to the timber structure using heavy-duty ratchet straps. This allowed the neighbouring posts to counterbalance one another while distributing their combined weight across a much larger area beneath the garden.
The system provided exceptional stability throughout the show while remaining fully removable, dismantlable and reusable after the event. The Bee Posts were subsequently returned to the supplier in their original condition.
This innovative approach perfectly reflected the sustainable construction principles behind the entire garden.
Workshop photo building the OSB boxes.
Each support box was fabricated from leftover OSB and reclaimed timber to eliminate the need for concrete foundations.
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Every Bee Post was carefully levelled by hand before the foundations were backfilled.
Installing the Green & Blue Bee Posts
With the structural framework complete, the Bee Posts could finally be installed.
Each post was carefully lifted into position, checked for plumb and secured within the timber framework before the surrounding soil was backfilled and compacted.
Although the finished installation appears simple, achieving perfectly aligned vertical columns required constant measuring, levelling and adjustment throughout the process.
These striking architectural features became one of the defining focal points of the finished garden while also providing valuable nesting habitat for solitary bees and other pollinating insects.
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Sustainable Materials Throughout
Sustainability extended far beyond the Bee Posts.
The garden featured beautiful Lias stone cobbles, guillotined from reclaimed stone sourced from Somerset reclamation yard.
Rather than discarding the offcuts created during the guillotining process, the waste stone was repurposed as decorative mulch throughout the planting.
This not only reduced waste but also added texture, improved moisture retention and reinforced the garden's natural aesthetic.
Combined with reclaimed timber and concrete-free construction techniques, every decision was made with longevity and environmental responsibility in mind.
Reclaimed Lias stone cobbles and stone offcuts were used throughout the garden.
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Every stage of construction had to be completed within the fixed RHS build programme.
Built Under Pressure
Unlike most landscaping projects, RHS show gardens are built against an immovable deadline.
There are no extensions, no delayed handovers and no opportunity to return next week to finish the details. Everything must be completed before judging begins.
Working alongside the wider build team, we coordinated excavation, hard landscaping, planting and structural installations within an incredibly tight programme while maintaining the highest standards of workmanship throughout.
It's this combination of planning, teamwork and attention to detail that makes building RHS show gardens such a rewarding challenge.
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Precision Matters
Although the garden was designed to appear completely natural, every element required precise setting out and installation.
The Green & Blue Bee Posts had to be perfectly aligned, the stone pathways carefully laid by hand, and the planting positioned to create a landscape that looked as though it had evolved naturally over time.
It's often the details visitors never notice that take the longest to perfect.
Behind the relaxed appearance of the finished garden was careful craftsmanship, constant measuring and a commitment to getting every element exactly right.
Every Bee Post, planting pocket and stone was positioned to create a landscape that felt natural while meeting the precision expected of an RHS show garden.
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The Finished Gold Medal Garden
After months of planning and just a few intense days of construction, the finished garden was opened to the public at RHS Badminton Flower Show 2026.
The completed garden showcased sustainable construction, wildlife-friendly planting and innovative craftsmanship, demonstrating how creative engineering and thoughtful design can work together without compromising on environmental principles.
The project was awarded an RHS Gold Medal, recognising the quality of both the design and its construction. For the Bristol Garden Club team, it was a proud milestone and a reflection of the care, skill and dedication invested throughout the build.
