Student from Leamington transforms overgrown allotment plot into a beautiful idyllic garden - and now his hard work could win him a national award

Andy Gladman has worked hard over the past two years to totally transform his allotment into a beautiful idyllic garden, as well as being a full time student. Photo: BBC Gardeners' World magazine/Jason Ingram.

A previously overgrown allotment plot that has been transformed by a PhD student from Leamington has now been shortlisted for the prestigious national award.

Andy Gladman has worked hard over the past two years to totally transform his allotment into a beautiful idyllic garden, as well as being a full time student.

The allotment had a special mention from Monty Don the Gardeners World Presenter when he was on the One Show on the BBC in May this year - and now the garden has been shortlisted for the prestigious BBC Gardeners’ World magazine’s People’s Choice Award.

Describing Andy's garden, the magazine said: "This ornamental allotment in Leamington Spa demands we rethink what an allotment can be, as PhD student Andy experiments with winning combinations of drought-tolerant plants.

"Created from scratch on a previously overgrown plot, it’s both a weekend haven from urban life for Andy and his partner and

a place where Andy can grow all the plants he loves – many from seed – on a budget and with recycling at the forefront."

The 2020 BBC Gardeners’ World magazine Gardens of the Year Award received over 1,000 entries, from gardens of all shapes and sizes, with BBC Gardeners’ World magazine’s horticultural experts whittling the long-list to eight finalists for a panel of horticultural experts, including Alan Titchmarsh, RHS Chelsea gold medal winning designers Diarmuid Gavin and Kate Gould and BBC Gardeners’ World magazine editor Lucy Hall, to decide the Judges’ Choice winner, won by Elizabeth and Malcolm Schofield from Moray in Scotland.

Now all eight finalists are vying for the People’s Choice Award, voted for by the general public, including Andy's ornamental allotment in Leamington.

Details on how to vote can we seen on www.gardenersworld.com/garden-competitionhttp://www.gardenersworld.com/garden-competitionVoting closes at midday on October 27, with the winner announced in the December issue of BBC Gardeners’ World magazine.