The gardening team at Biddulph Grange Garden, which is cared for by the National Trust, is celebrating after receiving a prestigious topiary award at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The award recognises the remarkable restoration and maintenance of the historic Dahlia Walk hedges.

The Henchman Topiary award, presented by Henchman, honours excellence in topiary and skilled hedge management. Head Gardener Paul Walton submitted the entry after previously purchasing equipment from the company and learning about the competition.

Paul’s application showcased the story behind the iconic yew hedges lining the Dahlia Walk at Biddulph Grange. Alongside contemporary photographs of the carefully maintained hedges, he included a historic image from the late 1800s and another from the 1980s, when the original hedges had been removed during the site’s time as an orthopaedic hospital.

As part of the restoration project, archaeological investigations were carried out to uncover the buried stone edging of the original Dahlia Walk. Measurements taken from the site enabled the National Trust gardening team to calculate the precise positioning, height and depth of the replacement yew hedges.

Detailed blueprints were then created, with each section of hedge designed to slightly different dimensions in order to recreate the distinctive buttress effect and the illusion of symmetry along the stepped walk.

Today, the restored hedges are one of the garden’s defining features — and maintaining them is no small task. With so many hedges throughout the garden, it takes the staff team around 10 weeks to cut and prune them all. 

Paul Walton and gardener Jonathan Duncan, who plays a key role in maintaining the hedges, were invited to attend RHS Chelsea Flower Show to receive the award on behalf of the team.

Paul Walton, Head Gardener at Biddulph Grange, said: “We only decided to give the competition a go this year, having never entered before, so it was a real surprise and an honour to be recognised by Henchman at RHS Chelsea. The gardening team are incredibly proud of all the work that has gone into the restoration and maintenance of the Dahlia Walk hedges over the years.”

Jo Stewart, Marketing Manager, Henchman said: “The Henchman Topiary Awards were created to showcase the extraordinary stories behind topiary, and Paul and Jonathan’s work at Biddulph Grange is a perfect reflection of that. Their commitment and precision demonstrate exceptional skill, alongside the care and vision needed to preserve historic landscapes for future generations.”

The award highlights the dedication, craftsmanship and long-term vision involved in preserving one of the garden’s most striking historic features for future generations to enjoy.