A garden celebrating the influence of women in gardening earned a special visit from HRH Princess Alexandra at this week’s RHS Hampton Court Flower Show  - and won a Silver Medal.

 ‘A Growing Obsession – the Yardley London Perennial Garden’ was designed by Alexandra Stevenson and Jean Wardrop in collaboration with Yardley London and the charity Perennial, of which Princess Alexandra is patron.

Based on a Victorian ladies’ flower garden, the garden drew admiring compliments from visitors and celebrities. Guests who visited the garden included Linda Barker, Nicki Chapman, Jo Brand, Charlotte Hawkins and Camilla Kerslake.

Influential women from the world of horticulture (above) gathered on the garden to celebrate the women and gardening theme, including designers Anne-Marie Powell, Jo Thompson and Pat Fox and nurserywomen Rosy Hardy. This is the first time designing a show garden for one half of the design duo Alexandra Stevenson, while Jean Wardrop has been involved with Hampton Court Palace Flower Show just once before.

The concept for ‘A Growing Obsession’ was inspired by the writings of Jane Loudon, whose book 'Instructions in Gardening for Ladies' published in 1840 helped make gardening more accessible to women. The British obsession with gardening goes back to this era, marking the transformation of gardening from being male-dominated activity to something that everyone could enjoy. This was the same point in history that Perennial was founded as a benevolent fund to look after the gardeners of Britain’s great estates and today Perennial is the only UK charity dedicated to helping all people in horticulture and their families when times get tough.