Designer hopes to build dream garden

8:41am Tuesday 13th May 2008

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DREAMS of creating a garden in Eden have blossomed for an aspiring Thornbury designer.

Ann Evans was selected to compete in a tough television contest to unearth new gardeners, with the winner building the garden they had always longed for.

Ann, who runs Eastwood Garden Centre with husband Neil, was chosen as one of eight would-be designers for A Garden for Eden, which will be screened on ITV West in late summer.

For the first round of the competition, she was tasked with creating a container for just £50.

Ann, 33, put her love of fruit and colour to use for a wooden log full of woodland surprises and edible treats.

Judges loved her interactive feature, which has now been donated to Christ the King School in Thornbury, where Ann's seven-year-old daughter Lara is a pupil.

"I drilled the stumps for mushrooms to go in and planted strawberries which the children cannot wait to eat," said Ann. "It was all about looking very natural and preserving the habitat for birds and insects."

Ann was sent through to the second round and had to pitch her ideas for the garden of a modern townhouse in a new estate in Torquay last Thursday.

She met presenter Melinda Messenger and filmed her interview with judges.

"I had gone for lots of apples, raspberries and evergreen shrubs with colourful plants to encourage lots of insects and birds into the garden," she said.

"It was a tiny courtyard garden so it was a big challenge."

Judges opted for two different designs and the competitors will go on to pitch their Eden ideas. The finalist will have their dream garden built at the Eden Project in Cornwall.

"It was a really good experience and it certainly was not a normal day for me," said Ann.

"I really enjoyed it and am now excited for the children at Christ the King to see what develops in the log.

"I just wish the other competitors good luck because a lot of people go into garden designing thinking it is easy, but it is very tough."