Capel Manor College
unveiled The Game Fair Gardens at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire to tens of
thousands of visitors.
Spanning one acre and
boasting over 20,000 plants this was the first show garden ever to be created
of this scale.
The Gardens were an
impressive accomplishment and a shining example in the art of land-based
skills, brought to life with a fantastic team effort by the College’s
apprentices, students and staff.
The Game Fair is a
prestigious event that celebrates British country life and was hosted by Lord
and Lady Salisbury at their Hatfield House Estate. As Lady Salisbury is Patron
of Capel Manor College and Hatfield House has an international reputation amongst
garden enthusiasts, the event was the perfect opportunity for Capel Manor
College to demonstrate its outstanding reputation for garden design,
horticulture, innovation and talent.
Producing the world’s
largest show garden was an ambitious project met with enthusiasm and
determination by the College’s diligent team who started work on the Gardens in
May.
The Game Fair Gardens
was an immersive and interactive experience, and told the story of the
countryside, estates, country gardens and traditional practices through themed
gardens. With each area designed by a different College student or apprentice,
The Game Fair Gardens were divided into sections that not only represented the
diversity and possibilities within the countryside, but also showcased Capel Manor College’s areas of expertise in numerous courses for those interested in
animals, nature and the environment.
Visitors were treated
to an array of fantastic garden delights, including: a herbaceous border
complete with sculptures and designed by student Andrew Smith, a potager garden
designed by the College’s apprentices including Francesco Gorni, Daniel Monge and
Laura Clark, a floristry and rose border with the finest home-grown British
flowers and prairie planting designed by student Cristina Garcia-Mora. An
arboriculture and countryside management area displayed the skills required for
hedge laying and woodland conservation, as well as floristry demonstrations and
a leather workshop with students creating handcrafted saddles, bridles and
shoes.
Malcolm Goodwin,
Principal at Capel Manor College added: “I am immensely proud of the
spectacular Capel Manor College Game Fair Garden at Hatfield House, sponsored
by Charles Stanley. It is an outstanding achievement by our students and staff,
and the world’s biggest show garden ever built for a three-day event.
Around an acre, and
largely designed and created by students, the gardens comprise a prairie, a
vineyard, a productive garden, a swimming pond, an herbaceous border and a
wildlife area. The vast number of visitors to the Game Fair at Hatfield House,
and visiting VIPs, were amazed and inspired in equal measure. The Game Fair
Garden is a triumph of the imagination, team work and the sheer exertions of
everyone involved, and brilliantly demonstrates the many talents in Capel Manor
College.”
Now that The Game Fair
has come to a close, the Gardens will serve a new purpose as Capel Manor
College will be donating numerous flowers, plants and trees within it to an
array of local schools, charities and hospitals, including: Birchwood Avenue
Primary School, Countess Anne School, The Ryde School, Earthworks, Harington
Scheme, Mudlarks and Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice.
