North Wales landscape designer claims national prize

Aaron Marubbi, from Wrexham and based in Bethesda, returned to his native north Wales shortly before the first lockdown in March 2020 to establish his own landscape design studio, Marubbi Landscape.

He had previously spent a decade working in London including three years mastering his craft at Kew Gardens.

Inspired by the Ogwen valley in Snowdonia, the winning 1.5 by 6m design centres on a crawiau slate fence which weaves through a burst of wild planting and featuring a textures river of slate to represent the Ogwen river.

The winning design

Designers were invited to submit a proposal for a garden border with a ‘Down your way’ theme. Finalists then had to create their garden border on site at the event to be judged by a panel of renowned gardening experts.

READ MORE: North Wales community gardening projects benefit from funding

The annual event, held at the Beaulieu estate in Hampshire between 29 April – 1 May, regularly attracts thousands of garden enthusiasts from across the UK.

The top Platinum prize – awarded at the judges’ discretion and last given in 2012 – was presented to Aaron Marubbi by BBC Gardeners’ World’s Adam Frost during the event on Friday 29 April.

Aaron receiving 'Best Border' with Gardeners World Adam Frost

Aaron said:

“As a landscape designer, I am thrilled at this recognition and, as a proud north Walian, I am so pleased to have been able to showcase the beauty of our landscape to a wide audience.

“Nothing gives a designer more joy than seeing people engaging with their creations, and I was very happy at how visitors were responding to the border on the showground.