A multi-award-winning young garden designer’s Sussex business is blooming after gaining a top industry award, writes Ellie Thomson.

Jack Dunckley is encouraging all generations to root success in their gardens this summer after winning a Silver Gilt medal at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show for his garden Juxtaposition.

The 20-year-old said: “I am very proud to have been awarded a silver gilt and I now aim to go for gold next year and break a record by being the youngest garden designer to achieve that level of award in the 100-year history of the Chelsea Flower Show.”

At his Birchfield Nursery in Henfield, Jack currently employs 17 members of staff, six of whom are fellow past pupils of Hurstpierpoint College.

He said: “It has been a very busy year for the business with the new landscape design studio and a coffee shop called the Cloudtree opening at the nursery.

“One of the kindest compliments I have received recently was from a customer who said that the whole place is one big, beautiful show garden.”

The nursery has more than 500,000 plants in stock with more than 3,500 different varieties to supply wholesale and retail markets.

Alongside the nursery, Jack and his team create gardens for a range of clients from family homes to businesses, new builds and developments using sophisticated 3D computer software and hand-drawnillustrations.

On Saturday Jack was hosting the opening of Birchfield’s new Cloudtree coffee shop which will be serving from 10am until 4pm.

For more information visit www.birchfieldnursery.co.uk.