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RHS Badminton Flower Show to feature largest ever show garden

June 9, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

RHS Badminton Flower Show to feature largest ever show garden RHS Badminton Flower Show adds to its horticultural line up with the RHS’ largest ever Feature Garden, created by award-winning designer Tom Stuart-Smith, and a planted exploration into the human mind designed by singer Will Young with plantsman and broadcaster Jamie Butterworth. Measuring 2,400m2, The Julia Rausing Garden designed by Tom Stuart-Smith is the largest garden ever seen at an RHS Show and will be a […]

Matt Axton officially joins Bernhard Academy

June 9, 2026/in News, People, Press Release/by Admin

Matt Axton officially joins Bernhard Academy Bernhard Academy is delighted to officially welcome Matt Axton to the team as Programme Leader for Technical Training and Advisory, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the Academy’s technical education offering. Following the announcement of his appointment earlier this year, Matt has now officially started his […]

RHS Badminton Flower Show to feature largest ever show garden

June 9, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Matt Axton officially joins Bernhard Academy

June 9, 2026/in News, People, Press Release/by Admin

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RHS Badminton Flower Show to feature largest ever show garden

June 9, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

RHS Badminton Flower Show to feature largest ever show garden

RHS Badminton Flower Show adds to its horticultural line up with the RHS’ largest ever Feature Garden, created by award-winning designer Tom Stuart-Smith, and a planted exploration into the human mind designed by singer Will Young with plantsman and broadcaster Jamie Butterworth.

RHS Badminton Flower Show to feature largest ever show garden

Measuring 2,400m², The Julia Rausing Garden designed by Tom Stuart-Smith is the largest garden ever seen at an RHS Show and will be a celebration of the life and philanthropic work of Julia Rausing. Fresh from his gold medal winning garden at RHS Chelsea, Tom is now taking on the challenge of the largest garden at an RHS Show, equivalent in size to nine Wimbledon tennis courts, with its huge scale enabling meandering paths for visitors to be fully immersed in its planting.

The garden’s design is inspired by the pastoral setting at Badminton Estate and frames views over the lake and back to Badminton House. A central terrace and fountain will be surrounded by a flower garden in which woodland edge planting will be set amongst multi-stemmed trees with a dry meadow of drought tolerant perennials. This inner area will be enveloped by a wildflower meadow with lime trees and a wild beehive.

Tom Stuart-Smith said: “It is an honour and a joy to design a garden to celebrate the legacy of Julia Rausing, whom I knew well. She loved gardens, and this is a tribute to her work supporting garden projects and causes across health, welfare, and the arts. Her generosity is reflected in a design where visitors are welcomed into the heart of the garden and can experience its beauty up close. After the show, the herbaceous plants will be sold to raise funds for Horatio’s Garden, a wonderful charity that has been supported by the Julia Rausing Foundation.”

Creating his first exhibit at an RHS Show, Will Young has collaborated with Jamie Butterworth to design Out of the Shadows, an exhibit interpreting Carl Jung’s ‘shadow self’, or the part of ourselves we keep hidden from the world, through planting. The exhibit will be formed by three planted cubes showing the journey from introspection and isolation to openness and the embrace of possibility.

Across the three cubes, shade loving plants gradually give way to airy grasses and flowers as light is let in. The first cube represents the hidden parts of out psyche with dense, layered planting creating a quiet atmosphere of seclusion. The second cube portrays a transitional garden with dappled shade and lighter planting, symbolising where the shadow self meets our conscious persona. The final cube follows a light, naturalistic planting scheme where shadows start to lift and new perspectives emerge.

Will Young said: “I’d been looking at Jungian shadow work for some time and thought it was fascinating and could translate so well into planting and a garden installation. I’d like people to see how density and shade can be beautiful and as a metaphor, encourage people to look into their own psyche as beauty often hides in the dark.”

Jamie Butterworth adds: “It’s a pleasure to be working with Will at RHS Badminton this year to deliver a planting installation full of amazing plants that visitors can incorporate in their gardens at home.  Working side-by-side in the garden, or outside space, sharing knowledge and discovering new planting combinations together is one of the best things we can do, it strengthens not just our mental health but our bonds of friendship too.”

Joining the line-up of show features is Perfume Pavilions by Nicholson’s Garden Design, a sensory garden celebrating botany as the source of scent and perfume. The garden will feature lavender, honeysuckle, daphne, and phlox to immerse the space in scent whilst also entertaining the other senses with rustling leaves, flavour packed herbs, and colourful blooms.

These feature gardens and exhibits join a host of award-winning gardens, expert growers and nurseries, floral installations, talks stages, and live music.

RHS Badminton Flower Show runs from 8-12 July 2026 and tickets are available online at rhs.org.uk/badminton

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Matt Axton officially joins Bernhard Academy

June 9, 2026/in News, People, Press Release/by Admin

Matt Axton officially joins Bernhard Academy

Bernhard Academy is delighted to officially welcome Matt Axton to the team as Programme Leader for Technical Training and Advisory, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the Academy’s technical education offering.

Matt Axton officially joins Bernhard Academy

Following the announcement of his appointment earlier this year, Matt has now officially started his role with Bernhard Academy, bringing with him extensive international experience in managing and maintaining golf course machinery fleets as well as leading technical teams.

With a career spanning leading venues including The Belfry, Copt Heath Golf Club and The Warwickshire Golf & Country Club, alongside international roles in Bahrain and Qatar, Matt’s expertise further strengthens Bernhard Academy’s commitment to delivering practical, industry-relevant training for turf professionals.

Matt also brings significant experience in equipment management, dealer support and industry collaboration, having played a key role in developing the Turf Equipment Technicians Organisation (TETO), helping create a strong community focused on knowledge sharing and professional development.

Speaking about officially joining the organisation, Matt Axton said:

“I’m incredibly excited to officially begin this journey with Bernhard Academy. The opportunity to support the industry through practical technical education is something I’m deeply passionate about, and I’m looking forward to helping professionals develop their skills and confidence at every stage of their careers and to raise awareness of equipment management as a rewarding career path.”

As Programme Leader for Technical Training and Advisory, Matt will lead the delivery and continued development of Bernhard Academy’s growing technical training programmes, supporting turf professionals, equipment technicians and organisations across the industry.

Sami Strutt, Education Director at Bernhard Academy, commented:

“We are thrilled to officially welcome Matt to the team. His technical expertise, industry knowledge and passion for supporting others make him an outstanding fit for Bernhard Academy. We are excited about the impact he will have as we continue to grow our technical education offering and support the future of the industry.”

Matt’s arrival comes during a period of continued growth for Bernhard Academy, with increasing demand for technical, leadership and management education across the turf industry. The Academy remains committed to creating accessible, practical and forward-thinking learning opportunities for professionals around the world.

To learn more about Bernhard Academy and its educational programmes, visit Bernhard Academy.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

RHS Badminton Flower Show to feature largest ever show garden

Matt Axton officially joins Bernhard Academy

RHS Badminton Flower Show to feature largest ever show garden

Matt Axton officially joins Bernhard Academy

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

RHS Badminton Flower Show to feature largest ever show garden

RHS Badminton Flower Show to feature largest ever show garden

Matt Axton officially joins Bernhard Academy

Matt Axton officially joins Bernhard Academy

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