Leamington school pupils' Holocaust memorial garden wins award at BBC Gardeners’ World Live show

The four pupils from Trinity Catholic School’s history research group won a Gold Award and the Peoples’ Choice Award for Best Beautiful Border at BBC Gardeners’ World Live at the NEC in Birmingham over the weekend for their garden which commemorates the 80th anniversary since the liberation of Auschwitz and the end of the Second World War.

The garden aims to cultivate connections—between generations, faiths, communities, and nature.

The garden’s symmetrical pebble-lined design symbolises unity, centred around a reflective pool.

Each plant carries symbolic meaning, creating a peaceful space for healing and remembrance.

A key feature of the garden is The Silver Birch, one of the first species to regrow after a tragedy, and visitors are invited to hang the names of loved ones on its branches.

This multi-sensory sanctuary offers a quiet space to reflect on the past while inspiring hope for a better future.

For the pupils, who are all novice gardeners, this is the first time they have designed a border.

BBC Gardeners’ World Live border assessors Cherry Carmen, Shaun Beale and Glyn Jones said: “This is such an emotive garden we are humbled and blown away by it.

"The fact that the students aren't horticultural students shows what a huge achievement this is.

"You should all be very proud.”

The Border will now be recreated at Trinity Catholic School, which will be holding a series of open events so that the local community can enjoy it.

The school is appealing for donations of railway sleepers and compost to make this happen.