Landscape company boss James Lanwarne hoped he would at least border on success when his firm exhibited at a prestigious horticultural show last week.

Herts Advertiser: Martin (left) and JamesMartin (left) and James (Image: Archant)

But his company’s border, on display at the BBC Gardeners’ World show in Birmingham last week, not only won a Gold Medal but was also named Best Border in Show.

A thrilled James, who set up Lanwarne Landcapes 10 years ago, described himself as ‘absolutely delighted’ at his team’s success and was full of praise for his designer Martin Lines.

He said: “Martin is a fantastic designer and I’m so proud of him and his success at BBC Gardeners’ World Live. I’ve really enjoyed working with himn on this project and thrilled that all the hard work, passion and devotion has achieved such an impressive result.

“It’s been an amazing experience for Martin, the team and myself and we all look forward to our next venture.”

Herts Advertiser: Martin (left) and JamesMartin (left) and James (Image: Archant)

Martin took Robert Frost’s poem Fire & Ice as his inspiration. It questions whether the world will end because of desire or hate and was seen as an appropriate choice to highlight the many humanitarian crises all over the world.

The company also wanted to support the work of the British Red Cross which sponsored the border.

Martin’s design used colour, texture and form to evoke the human experience of passion and hatred with a central sculpture from Christian Funnell who regularly exhibits at the Childwickbury Arts Fair.

Martin said he was ‘really pleased’ with the sculpture which, with its image of a human running between two silver birches, one on fire and the other in ice, ‘really captured the poem and gave the scheme a strong central focal point.”

He went on: “I’m so pleased with the overall visual impact of the border; the Fire and Ice schemes clearly mirror and flow into each other without using the same genus plants.”

Describing winning a Gold Medal as more than he could have hoped for, Martin added: “To have won Best in Show on top of that has left me feeling absolutely delighted, especially as the show gardens and borders were judged by Chelsea Flower Show and Hampton Court Flower Show judges.”

Among those who visited and admired the border was Gardeners’ World Live presenter Carol Klein and Jim Buttress, superintendent of the Royal Parks for 25 years who numbers the Queen among his clients.