STAFF and students at a York college are celebrating winning a silver medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It was one of two successes for York and North Yorkshire in the prestigious horticultural event.

York-based landscape architect and designer Paul Green laid out the blueprint for Askham Bryan College’s Growing World Class Talent: Celebrating The Workforce Of Tomorrow entry, which won its accolade in the Urban Garden category.

A team of people aged under 25 created the garden from a variety of edible, ornamental and native plants. A wide range of skills, including landscape gardening, bricklaying, electrical installation, cabinet making, plumbing, plantsmanship, floristry and stonemasonry were used to complete the garden.

The team included former Askham Bryan students Keith Chapman, 24, of Richmond, and Grant Finch, 19, of Scarborough, and were supported by current students and staff. Meanwhile, tourism body Welcome to Yorkshire’s Rhubarb Crumble And Custard garden also won a silver medal at the show.

It featured a large wooden spoon carved by Richmond-based carpenter Peter Cummings, sedum to represent the custard, and Yorkshire rhubarb, lavender and dry stone walling. It will appear at the Great Yorkshire Show in July and be put on permanent display at RHS Harlow Carr Gardens, in Harrogate, later this year.

Welcome to Yorkshire’s chief executive, Gary Verity, said: “It is a real slice of what Yorkshire has to offer visitors; it has quality and iconic craftmanship, world renowned food, stunning scenery and of course, a dollop of our wonderful humour.”