Ashley Ball meets with the gardener who has a big, big job on his hands...
MALCOLM Richardson wanted his garden to have the ‘wow’ factor.
And there can’t be many people who walk into his expansive creation without uttering that very word.
The garden comes in at a whopping two-thirds of an acre.
It means Malcolm has a lot to maintain but what is perhaps even more impressive than the scale of the garden is the transformation it has undergone in the 12 years he and his wife Sian have been there.
Both retired teachers, their switch from schools to spades has been an impressive one.
Malcolm seems to be the driving force with Sian offering a large amount of creative input.
Malcolm, 72, said: “It was just a field and it’s our ideas that have turned it into what it is today.
“It is built on an open cast mine so what’s underneath there you’d need a pickaxe to get through - it needed 250 tonnes of topsoil.
“Things have developed over the years and things have moved around; each year the beds change.
“Most mornings for two or three hours, I always find something to do in it.
“It is a full-time job but if I didn’t enjoy doing it I wouldn’t be out there.
“I don’t sit and enjoy it very often because I always find something to do.”
It would be easy in a garden this large to focus solely on the plants but everything actually gets a fair shake.
The borders on the lawn, spaced out across the garden, are almost golf bunker-like in shape.
This is perhaps a nod to the couple’s other passion, but instead of sand are filled heartily with a range of shrubs, trees and flowers in a range of colours, shapes and textures.
There is a wavy walkway down the right hand side which leads to a summer house and orchard. Pergolas interrupt the walk charmingly along the way.
As with most prolific gardeners, there has been an overspill and Malcolm has made use of the drop-off of his garden to the fields behind.
Steps lead down the steep path but a range of flowers are now installed at different levels to provide for the pollinators. It’s just one extra and unexpected blooming bonus.
Roses, astrantias and purple astras are among his favourites due to their longevity.
Malcolm added: “I like flowers that are here all summer - because of the size of the garden I wanted colour in there most of the time.”
The search for Barnsley’s Best Garden is sponsored by Sunflowers From The Hills.
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