The Way of St James Show Garden
People's Choice Best Show Garden
Silver Medal
RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2024
The Way of St James Show Garden
Acacia Gardens proudly constructed The Way of St James Garden at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2024. It won The People’s Choice Show Best Show Garden, a Silver Medal, and the garden’s construction was marked as very good. Designed by Nilufer Danis and sponsored by Axencia Turismo de Galicia and the Tourist Office of Spain, The Way of St James Garden captures the essence of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and the mystical forests of Galicia, inspired by St James, the patron saint of Spain.
The Way Of St James Garden Design And Construction
Designed for a prominent Galician family, this garden is set in Galicia, Spain and takes inspiration from large gardens divided by tall hedges into ornamental, horticultural, and woodland areas. Primarily focusing on a woodland setting, the garden offers a serene sanctuary for relaxation, echoing the tranquil ambience of a forest.
Metal arches with scented climbers and gravel paths enhance the romantic nature of Galician gardens. At the same time, granite paving reflects typical local materials, using familiar shrubs and perennial species that pay homage to Galicia’s dense, ancient forests.
Key elements of the garden include a pilgrim statue, Camino symbols like the Santiago cross and a yellow arrow, a water fountain, a natural pond, boulders, trees, and woodland planting. These features create an ambience reminiscent of the pilgrims’ journey.
The show garden construction aimed to establish a mature look for the landscape foliage and planting. Simultaneously, with its carefully placed stones and rocks, the water feature was designed to appear natural, enhancing the garden’s relaxing and soothing appeal.
Show Garden Sustainability
Sustainability is a key focus of The Way Of St James Garden. All materials and plants are sourced from UK suppliers to reduce the carbon footprint. For instance, Scottish Grampian granite, similar to Galician granite, is used for paving, and Scottish gabbro boulders, naturally found in woodland environments, are sustainably sourced from farmers’ fields. The eco-friendly pond and insect hotel within the woodland planting promote biodiversity.
After the festival, the garden will be relocated to a care home in the UK, providing residents with a tranquil, nurturing forest and a serene sanctuary for relaxation.
Building The Way of St James Garden at the RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival was a profound experience. Acacia Gardens is honoured to have brought Nilufer Danis’s vision to life, capturing the essence of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and the mystical forests of Galicia. The Garden won a Silver Medal at the show, with the building construction marked as very good, which was a testament to how hard the Acacia Gardens team worked, with special thanks to Gareth Wilson (G.K. Wilson Garden & Landscape Consultancy Limited) and Riverdale Falls UK. The visitors also voted it the People’s Choice Show Garden, which was the icing on the cake.
Herman Pobrati
Managing Director Acacia Gardens Ltd