HEAD gardener Sam Youd and his Tatton team are celebrating after their creation, “Paradise Isle”, scooped a prestigious gold medal on home ground at the 10th anniversary RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park.

The garden, inspired by the estate’s Japanese garden, took pride of place next to Chris Beardshaw’s design for Cheshire’s Year of Gardens, which won Best Show Garden, and other award winning gardens of distinction, including Arley Hall, Chester Zoo and Ness Botanical Gardens.

And success smells all the sweeter in this special anniversary year and Cheshire’s Year of Gardens.

Those involved in the creation of the back-to-back garden say it was surprisingly calm and relaxed, which the gardener’s attributed to this year’s theme.

Come awards day, however, as Sam admits, “there’s always a certain degree of nervousness and anticipation, especially as we host the show.”

The gold medal is the 10th the team has won over the years and Sam says: “Despite now being old hands at gardens for the show, it is still thrilling to receive a gold award.

“I am really pleased that the judges and the public love the garden and the team have been awarded for their consistently high efforts.”

The Tatton team was helped by horticultural students from Clusius College in the Netherlands who came to the UK especially for the Show.