Young garden designer from Ampthill showcases sad plight of trees outside woods

Working with the Woodland Trust, designer Ashleigh Aylett, 29, from Ampthill, has created a garden for RHS Tatton in Cheshire – which starts tomorrow (Wednesday) – and showcases efforts being made to address the issue.

This includes planting UK grown trees and diversifying the species planted to build resilience – and she’s taken inspiration from her childhood.

”From my earliest days, I've been captivated by the vibrant world of greenery, often reminiscing about my adventures in my grandparents' greenhouse, who grew cut flowers commercially – I even had my very own vegetable patch at the age of eight,” she said. “Over time, I increasingly felt a pull to combine my love of design with a career working with nature, culminating in the switch from interiors to gardens.”

Ashleigh’s unique garden uses more than a thousand different plants, it depicts a south facing garden in rural England, with a stream, footpath, fields, hedgerows and dry stone walls.

She added: “The garden seeks to capture the romantic essence of the English countryside. By evoking the nostalgia of a perfect day outdoors, it aims to draw the public outdoors and open their eyes to the importance of preserving trees outside woods, a key feature of our countryside.”

It’s estimated between 1850 and the present day, we have lost 49% of trees important for a resilient landscape which characterise the English countryside.