Garden Design Students Transform Mottingham Campus Through RHS-Inspired Competition
Garden areas at Capel Manor College’s Mottingham Campus are set for an exciting transformation following a planting design competition involving 30 of our adult learners from our Regent’s Park Campus.
Students studying the Certificate in Plants and Planting for Garden Design (Level 3) course, developed detailed proposals as part of their final project and submitted their designs in the competition.
Each garden design entry had to respond to a challenging brief based on requirements set by the RHS. The new garden areas at our Mottingham Campus will be planted, maintained and used as an educational resource by horticulture students studying our Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) courses
Designs had to include as many plant species as possible (from a list of 150). Currently none of the required plants grow at our Mottingham Campus. Designs also had to incorporate leftover plants already on site in pots, respond sensitively to the campus environment, and demonstrate cohesion, biodiversity and sustainability. The site itself presents a further challenge, with heavy clay soil that can be difficult to work with and limits long-term plant performance.
Judging criteria
Competition entries were carefully evaluated by a panel of experts from the College, including horticulture, garden design and floristry tutors. All entries were assessed on their design clarity, planting associations, long-term maintenance considerations and suitability for the Mottingham Campus.
The finalists
Teresa Field, David Jones and Rebecca Paddock’s designs were shortlisted as the top three. They demonstrated multi-layered planting, strong environmental awareness, and consideration of biodiversity and sustainability. The judges were impressed with the quality of all work submitted.
Teresa Field’s design
Teresa’s design had a clear concept, strong structure and long-term suitability for the site. Her garden featured strong plant choices, including an edible bed and the use of Pinus mugo to visually link all garden beds.
Teresa has had a great experience studying at Capel Manor College and says:
“The College has connected me to so many interesting people, given me a good framework from which to grow and held my hand when the amount of knowledge needed has felt overwhelming. I will miss it very much once the course is over. I hope to build a garden design business and then build up to working within the marketing/event/media world of horticulture, connecting with my previous careers and knowledge.”
David Jones’ design
David’s design was praised for its strong visual impact and cohesive approach across the site. His clear illustrations and elevations effectively communicated his design.
David plans to continue his studies at the College and says:
“Capel Manor College provides outstanding education in garden design. The learning environment is friendly, professional and inspirational, with tutors who are leaders in their field. I found the College to be an exceptional place of learning and a wonderful setting in which to meet like-minded students. I plan to continue my studies at the College. Alongside this, I am gaining practical experience by designing gardens for friends and family.”
And the winner is…
Rebecca Paddock’s design
Rebecca’s design stood out for its educational focus and contemporary planting style. Her garden included a clear, thematic “feel” for individual beds, vertical planting and the use of existing plants already available around the campus.
Speaking about her design and experience at Capel Manor College so far, Rebecca says:
“It was an amazing experience to design a planting scheme, not only based on enhancing the aesthetics and sustainability of the site, but also to produce a design that will help both educate and inspire a future generation of people entering horticulture.
Studying at Capel Manor College has been life changing as I move into a new chapter of my life. Not only has it prepared me to enter professional practice and build confidence in my abilities, but I am also deeply grateful for the friendships, camaraderie, and encouragement we shared as a class.
Alongside the Certificate in the Principles and Practice of Garden Design (Level 3) and 2D CAD Garden Design courses, which I will be working towards in 2026, I also plan to launch my planting design business in spring of this year.”
Rebecca’s winning design will now move forward to implementation, once planted the new gardens will be celebrated with an official opening ceremony at our Mottingham Campus.
A huge congratulations to all students involved in this project for their time, effort and imagination in presenting such thoughtful designs. Projects and competitions such as this one, highlight the benefits that real-world projects play in education and the high standard of learning achieved by our students.
