TROWBRIDGE gardener Rob Dawson will be appearing in BBC 2’s new British amateur gardening talent competition The Great Chelsea Garden Challenge next week.

Mr Dawson, who lives in Southwick with his partner Andrew, is one of six floral enthusiasts competing to win the biggest prize in gardening - a chance to design and build a garden feature on Main Avenue at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2015.

Mentored by Gardeners’ World presenter Joe Swift, the designers had just four days and a limited budget to build show gardens in different styles, including cottage, formal and conceptual gardens.

The 35-year-old, who works at the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council in Swindon, was selected to appear after submitting a garden design incorporating spaces for exercise and sunbathing.

“It is something I had never done before, but I was watching Gardeners’ World one day and this competition asking amateur gardeners to send in designs came up,” said Mr Dawson.

“I had actually been sketching out some designs at the time for a garden to keep people healthy, with different areas for exercise. I sent it in not really expecting to hear anything, but to my surprise they got in contact with me.

“The competition is a bit like a gardening version of The Great British Bake Off and each day they gave us a different brief, such as a cottage garden, and asked each of us to design a patch of land in a short space of time.

“It was quite daunting as there was not a lot of time and you could see what the others were building at the same time, which makes you think whether your design is going to be as good.”

The competition, which was filmed at gardens across the country including RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Sudeley Castle, Painswick Gardens and RHS Garden Wisley, was judged by RHS Judge James Alexander Sinclair and a Gold medal-winning garden designer Ann-Marie Powell. 

Each of the designers are judged on how well they have met the brief, their horticultural knowledge, design skill and the sense of theatre that the garden brings. 

Mr Dawson added: “It was an amazing experience, especially for someone who has never done this sort of thing before. One of the best things was being able to learn new skills and get guidance from Joe Swift.

“I can’t give any secrets away, but the show has given me lots of confidence. My granddad is a big gardening fan and has had an influence on me from an early age, so he was really proud of me.”

The Great Chelsea Garden Challenge will air from Monday (May 11) to Thursday (May 14) next week on BBC 2 at 8pm.