Students bloomin great effort!

A TRIO of Bendigo TAFE horticulture students have been awarded bronze medals for their showcases at this year’s Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.

Clair Derwort, Fleur Clausen, and Craig Wilcox took home the honours as part of the Achievable Gardens design competition, with each having to create and display a self-designed garden.

Derwort designed a cottage rose garden and said she used a mixture of Australian and European influences with a tip of the garden to the past and future.

“The mixed plantings of natives and exotics in the garden acknowledge the collaborative efforts of horticultural influences in Australian history and future,” she said.

“With the late Queen’s passing, the roses are a slight nod to her influence in the Australian horticultural scene. It’s a juxtaposition of new and old.”

Derwort said support from Bendigo TAFE teaching staff, and learnings from the course itself, meant the three students went into the show with full confidence.

“Our educator Stan Smith and Bendigo TAFE have supported our learning by encouraging us to be prepared and to challenge our creative thinking,” she said.

“Our course knowledge enabled us to confidently and professionally design, construct and deliver three very different, yet refined gardens.”

In comparison to Derwort’s cottage-inspired creation, Wilcox produced a low-maintenance courtyard-style garden for the show.

“I wanted to create something that gives the feeling of a beautiful Japanese garden but doesn’t require weekly hedge clipping or raking up leaves,” he said.

An environmentally friendly style garden was what Clausen aimed for.

“With the impact of climate change upon us, I’ve looked at how we can futureproof gardens even in small spaces and urbanised areas,” she said.

“I also made this a garden that bees and butterflies want to be in by including flowers and perennials to attract them.”

Preparation for the displays took three months with more than ten students involved in the design, planning, sourcing and construction in the lead-up to the show.