Release Date: 27th May 2016 God’s Own County Wins People’s Choice Award at Chelsea Welcome to Yorkshire’s biggest ever garden has won the BBC People’s Choice Award at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. ‘God’s Own County - A Garden for Yorkshire,’ which is the biggest garden at the entire show, is inspired by the huge East Window at York Minster, the largest single expanse of medieval stained glass in Britain, currently undergoing a major restoration. The stained glass is the window into the garden which showcases Yorkshire’s stunning scenery, iconic heritage, industries and skilled tradespeople. The materials and skills used to create the garden have brought 600 years of living history Chelsea. The garden, which won a silver award from the judges, is a true ‘Garden for Yorkshire’ thanks to help from suppliers and trades right across the county. Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire said: “Our presence at the Chelsea Flower Show enables us to showcase Yorkshire to the world. To be voted BBC People Choice is an incredible achievement and I’m immensely proud of everyone who has made this garden a great success. Almost every inch of the garden has come from Yorkshire and the contribution from the entire county has been amazing.’’ Welcome to Yorkshire’s garden designer is Matthew Wilson, former Head of RHS Garden Harlow Carr in Harrogate. Matthew Wilson said: “I've loved every minute of making this beautiful garden for Welcome to Yorkshire and to receive the People's Choice award is the icing on the cake. So many people from around the county have contributed to the making of the garden and I'd like to dedicate this award to them - we couldn't have done it without them.” The garden includes panels of the same mouth blown glass being used in the restoration of York Minster’s East Window, expertly assembled by the York Glaziers Trust and lit using the same theatrical lighting as James Bond’s Spectre. The planting celebrated the diversity of plants in Yorkshire gardens with a series of beds directly inspired by the colours of the stained glass in the Great East Window. A group of veterans from Help for Heroes at Phoenix House in Catterick helped bring our garden to life as part of their horticultural therapy and recovery from PTSD. They spent two weeks on the garden build, along with their therapy provider Faith Douglas, Curator of Thorp Perrow Arboretum. At Chelsea, Welcome to Yorkshire has previously won one Gold Medal, four Silver Medals, one Silver Gilt Medal and five People’s Choice Awards. We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to making the garden a success including… York Minster, York Glaziers Trust, Friends of York Minster, Help for Heroes- Catterick, Thorp Perrow Arboretum-Bedale, Aire Valley Landscaping Contractors- Leeds, Bradshaws Direct-York, Newby Hall-Ripon, Marshalls-Huddersfield, Proctor Cast Stone-Leeds, Lowery Roofing LLP-Wakefield, Abraham Moon & Sons Ltd- Guiseley, Caddick-Knottingley, Lucas Engineering-Castleford, Arnold Laver- Sheffield, Wentworth Castle Gardens-Barnsley, Robert ‘Mousy’ Thompson Craftsmen Ltd-Kilburn, Tong Garden Centre-Bradford, Glasshutte Lamberts- Germany, Construct Films, Huddersfield. - ENDS - Images: BBC’s Joe Swift and Sophie Raworth present Garden Designer Matthew Wilson and Welcome to Yorkshire’s Commercial Director Peter Dodd with the BBC People’s Choice Award for ‘God’s Own County-A Garden for Yorkshire.’ More images can be downloaded here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/13ga7ruad7yg8od/AACAKcqOeiBsZ64BQmi8QrR9a?dl=0 More info on the garden at http://www.yorkshire.com/inspiration/gardens/rhs-chelsea-flower-show Editors’ Notes: Welcome to Yorkshire is the official destination management organisation for Yorkshire, working to grow the county’s visitor economy. Welcome to Yorkshire is a not-for-profit membership organisation, funded in part by grants, sponsorship and Welcome to Yorkshire members. All money raised is reinvested directly back into promoting Yorkshire. Key facts include: Tourism in Yorkshire is worth £7 billion annually The county’s industry employs almost a quarter of a million people For more news and a free image bank http://www.yorkshire.com/mediacentre Marie Christopher – Senior Press Officer Email: [email protected] Direct Line: 0113 322 3537 Mobile: 07557 157 034 .