‘Swanleaf’ design pupils take leaf out of TV’s Adam Frost’s book for royal horticultural show

TV’s top garden expert Adam Frost comes to east London on Thursday to help pupils at Whitechapel’s Swanlea Secondary build a display garden for the Royal Horticultural Society’s Hampton Court flower show in July.

Year 9 pupils calling themselves ‘Team Swanleaf’ entered the Horticultural Society’s Plan It competition for schools last term.

They came up with a garden design for the flower show, led by DT teacher Chris Nairn, which beat all the rival schools.

“This is a huge learning experience for our pupils,” Chris said. “They have to build their design from a scale model to full size over the next few weeks, as well as grow the plants for the project.

“It provides an opportunity for them and helps the school support ‘greener’ living.”

The Horticultural Society asked the Swanleaf team to build a ‘real life’ version of their winning design for the prestigious Hampton Court summer show.

BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Adam Frost, who is a Horticultural Society ‘ambassador’, is helping the pupils with ideas when he looks in at the school to give invaluable advice. He is a leading garden designer who has won several Chelsea gold medals.