A GARDEN design “to capture West Sussex in a contemporary way” won 20-year-old Midhurst-based Will Williams a silver medal at Hampton Court Flower Show.

Not only was he the youngest garden designer exhibiting at this year’s show, but also Will’s ‘Summer in Sussex’ entry was constructed by social enterprise group Streetscape, which provides apprenticeships in landscape gardening to long-term unemployed youths aged 18 to 25.

Streetscape founder Guy Watts shares a Midhurst connection and the garden, which won silver in the City Garden section, was inspired by their hometown and the surrounding countryside.

“I am hugely happy to come away from the show with a silver medal,” Will told The Herald.

“It was a fantastic experience being the youngest designer at the show. It was a little daunting at first, but this soon changed to excitement,” added Will.

“All of the Streetscape apprentices who built the garden did such an amazing job, I can’t thank them all enough.

“I would love to do another Hampton Court next year, and I would love to try something a slightly bigger and push the boundaries a little. Since my first day at design school, I’ve always wanted to be the youngest designer to exhibit at The Chelsea Flower Show, so who knows.

“I left school at 16, not really knowing what to do. I got offered a job as a landscaper during the summer after my GCSEs.

“I worked with him for a few months whilst he needed me and I loved it. I embarked on a level three National Diploma in horticulture, and I fell in love with design on my first visit to Chelsea Flower Show.

“I enrolled at the London College of Garden Design and this is the career I will be in forever.

“I think that young people need to know from an early age what you can do with this career choice, whether in schools, clubs or activity groups.

“I feel the horticultural industry needs to lead by example, by helping the younger generation, giving them a helping hand and showing them how amazing it is.”