Visit the East of England Show and you could win a designer garden

Move over RHS Chelsea Flower Show – flora and fauna fans will have the chance to see some show-stopping gardens in the heart of Peterborough this summer.

Visitors to the East of England Show in July will be wowed by this year’s garden design competition, which is taking on a new twist for 2012.

Not only will members of the public be able to get up close and personal with five incredible gardens – which will be designed especially for the East of England Showground event - but TWO lucky winners will have the chance to take one home!

Show organisers have teamed up with local companies Ground To Garden and Bettaland Products that create gardens through computer-aided design (CAD).

The innovative process allows customers to give the dimensions of their garden to the company who perform an onscreen drop and drag method to give a virtual look at what the garden will look like, They a CAD design is produced - complete with costings and materials required – and everything you need to recreate it direct to your door, from herbaceous perennials to hard landscaping, is delivered to your door!

And the system will be put into action at the Show over 6, 7 and 8 July, when five jaw-dropping gardens will be vying for a the public vote.

Those entering a newspaper competition will stand a chance of winning one of the spectacular gardens and having it entirely recreated in their own outdoor space, and be the envy of their neighbours!

A second garden will be the top prize in a competition held during the show, while another will be an amazing raffle prize. Everyone buying a ticket to the Show will receive an additional raffle ticket for a garden.

One of the remaining two gardens will stay at the venue while the final garden – a special Diamond Jubilee themed creation – will receive it preview at the East of England Show before being transported to the Sandringham Estate.

Also taking an interest in the gardens will be students from Shuttleworth College in Bedford, whose courses include agriculture, horticulture, floristry and the countryside. Talented designers will be fact finding in efforts to come up with their own CAD design for next year’s show.

Andrew Riddington, Show committee chairman said: “The stunning display gardens at the show have always been popular with visitors, but this year – as part of our quest to provide something a little different – we are taking this new approach, designed to inspire and fuel the imagination of the public.”

Thousands of visitors are expected to visit the Show, which is now in its 44th year at Peterborough’s East of England Showground.

Attractions include agricultural highlights and interactive experiences to classic cars, vintage tractors and an abundance of shopping opportunities.

There will also be a new ‘green’ themed business hub, Friday Ladies Day, a shopping village, fabulous food court and much, much more.

And for the first time, there will be an open-air concert on the Saturday evening – featuring 2011 X Factor runner up and chart-topper Marcus Collins and fellow finalist Janet Devlin.

For ticket pries and more information visit the new-look Show website: eastofenglandshow.co.uk.