Over the weekend, Alford and Sowter Landscapes collaborated with Honeycomb Saunas and first-year design students from the Eden Project to deliver an outstanding show garden at the Cornwall Garden Society Spring Flower Show.
The event welcomed over 5,000 visitors—an impressive attendance for a county garden society show. Its popularity is well deserved, with an extensive range of competitive classes, a vibrant talks tent hosting expert speakers sharing new horticultural research, and an abundance of trade stands brimming with fresh, colourful spring plants.
The show gardens are a burgeoning and increasingly important feature of the event, and this year our garden sat proudly at their centre.
We designed and built a contemporary spa garden, anchored by a beautifully crafted sauna from Honeycomb Saunas, a new Cornish company specialising in authentic, natural-material builds. Every detail of the sauna was carefully considered—from the bold black cladding to the refined copper accents—resulting in a structure that feels both modern and grounded in craftsmanship.
A key intention behind the design was accessibility. Rather than placing the sauna in an expansive or secluded setting, we imagined the garden as belonging to a traditional terraced house. This approach demonstrates how wellness-focused spaces can be integrated into everyday living, making them both aspirational and achievable.
Planting Design: Colour, Form & Texture
At the core of the planting scheme were three striking multi-stemmed Prunus serrula. Though leafless at this time of year, they offered powerful visual impact through their rich, cinnamon-coloured bark, which peels to reveal glowing tones of deep red when caught in the light.
Alongside them sat a beautifully restrained piece of topiary—a domed Fagus sylvatica. Though its marcescent leaves had largely fallen, the fine network of branches, just breaking into bud, created a soft, sculptural presence. This was complemented by underplanting of Pittosporum tobira, forming a harmonious and balanced pairing.
The garden was driven by colour, form, and texture. Warm copper tones echoed throughout the planting palette, inspired by the slate pathway that cut through the space. Large, irregular stepping stones guided visitors toward the sauna, reinforcing a sense of journey and discovery.
These tones were mirrored in plants such as Pittosporum ‘Tom Thumb’ and Distylium racemosum, the latter bringing glaucous blue foliage and a distinct horizontal structure to the composition.
Atmosphere & Structure
Overall, the garden felt rich, warm, and inviting, yet retained a sense of ruggedness and wildness. Subtle changes in level created movement through gentle mounding, while repetition and rhythm within the planting ensured the scheme felt cohesive rather than busy.
Recognition & Award
Unbeknownst to us, the garden was being judged by esteemed landscape architect Robert Myers. We were incredibly proud to be awarded Best Show Garden, receiving the prestigious Banham Cup.
The trophy bears the names of past winners such as The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Trebah Garden, and Burncoose Gardens—gardens that are among the most celebrated in Cornwall.
To see our small landscaping and design practice recognised alongside such names is a true honour, and a moment of immense pride.
