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  ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/gardens/primavera/primary_image.webp?v=50e35c73-70c8-4b1f-83c4-78a38314124e)

  [Gardens](https://gardensdb.com/gardens) / [ RHS Malvern Spring Festival 2026 ](https://gardensdb.com/shows/rhs-malvern-spring-festival-2026) 

  Beautiful Borders   ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/awards/bbc-gardeners-world-live-bronze-award/icon.webp) Bronze Award 

 Primavera 
===========

 Designed by Damien Michel 

 At a glance

  Show RHS Malvern Spring Festival 

 Year 2026 

 Category Beautiful Borders 

       Plant List   

  Border  

  About this garden

 The story 
-----------

This border is a celebration of springtime planting, designed for a south-west facing urban or rural garden with acidic soil type. It is designed with two contrasting sides: a dry, rugged section featuring boulders, pine trees (*Pinus* spp.), gravel, and moss, and a lush, softer side planted with Japanese dogwood (*Cornus kousa)*, cherry trees (*Prunus* spp.), *iris* varieties, great forget-me-not (*Brunnera macrophylla)*, ferns, foamflower (*Tiarella)*, providing texture and gentle pastel tones.

The idea is to create a garden with a strong, clear structure and with layers of planting that provides interest throughout the seasons. The pond acts as a focal point, anchoring the design and shaping the surrounding soft planting. Azaleas and carefully placed trees help frame the space, giving the garden depth and balance. The azaleas provide vibrant spring colour, while the trees contribute seasonal foliage, fruit, and valuable habitat for birds.

There won't be any hard materials used within this border, and designer likes to incorporate water features and stones into his designs to create harmony between the vegetal, mineral, and water elements. This balance not only enriches the aesthetic of the garden but also supports wildlife, providing habitat, shelter, and valuable ecological benefits.

  Award

 Recognition 
-------------

- ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/awards/bbc-gardeners-world-live-bronze-award/icon.webp) 

     Bronze Award 

     BBC Gardeners World Live

  The people behind it

 Designer 
----------

- [ DM 

    Damien Michel

    Designer

     ](https://gardensdb.com/people/damien-michel)

  Photography

 Gallery 
---------

  ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/3b548b34-5646-4f83-a5d2-4055d9062e45/conversions/PXL_20260509_120800853-gallery.webp)   ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/b01a1756-d7de-4974-aef9-db67ba4d8c35/conversions/PXL_20260509_120804521-gallery.webp)   ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/3abe8320-fb94-4dfe-91b3-762e300cc825/conversions/PXL_20260509_120807774-gallery.webp)   ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/e36aa7f9-8cd2-4603-a238-c819f1f64fdf/conversions/PXL_20260509_120817394-gallery.webp)   ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/df9ab132-25df-4ae2-b8fb-f367ed317aa1/conversions/PXL_20260509_120822882-gallery.webp)   ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/5dac8e1f-cc1f-4c94-80cb-8d03275f4741/conversions/3969076F-8F1A-4513-9A19-1A44C8DEEA9A_1_105_c-gallery.webp)   ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/ffb97234-fbad-4509-a7c6-13edbd4ac028/conversions/B68BC4F2-764D-443E-B3B4-2FE4A7CD4C17_1_105_c-gallery.webp)   ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/5111d6bd-ecfa-466b-81d0-b3eb99950cc5/conversions/C0C4A867-4159-4CC6-8317-96F201BE57CC_1_105_c-gallery.webp)   ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/74711602-2737-4026-b4c6-43ac749012bd/conversions/B443440B-D57C-4FD4-8599-A062C1DA7428_1_105_c-gallery.webp)   ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/38537bdb-3eee-4668-a7a4-b02c98479037/conversions/E880BF03-C032-4F48-9406-4C7F928791CE_1_105_c-gallery.webp)   ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/b3c3a824-c0ae-4306-a5e5-a7e00eace206/conversions/E399DC94-C767-4D12-8AD1-3DA483325085_1_105_c-gallery.webp)   ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/bfda7bc1-1adb-4bc1-b013-95c917a15d16/conversions/11488835-4BB5-4CAA-B6C2-A18E73B440E7_1_105_c-gallery.webp)   ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/f87e3fe0-4b05-4b22-8981-f647e962f905/conversions/B69B43A5-126C-46FB-B0AF-0399DD847AC6_1_105_c-gallery.webp)   ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/6311c191-ad47-46be-b2b7-3b81517765f2/conversions/PXL_20260509_120755733-gallery.webp)  

   ![]()  

  /  

 Photo:  

  Planting

 Plant list 
------------

Click on a plant to enlarge or purchase.

###  Key Plants 13 

  ![Acer palmatum 'Kinshi'](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/cbf93ddb-b74a-42be-8105-34066f2caf5c/conversions/acer-palmatum-kinshi-thumbnail.webp) 

Acer palmatum 'Kinshi'

  ![Acer palmatum 'Koto-no-ito'](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/98da4260-a1d0-4e79-b2e4-7418010203b2/conversions/acer-palmatum-koto-no-ito-thumbnail.webp) 

Acer palmatum 'Koto-no-ito'

  ![Brunnera macrophylla](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/7cd23543-489f-4d37-b1fa-5a211b3da4eb/conversions/brunnera-macrophylla-thumbnail.webp) 

Brunnera macrophylla

  ![Cornus kousa](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/993ed31b-0fcd-48f8-8853-fa2c13d2073b/conversions/cornus-kousa-thumbnail.webp) 

Cornus kousa

  ![Ferns](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/1adf138f-ff3d-414e-9b9b-75831a196d68/conversions/ferns-thumbnail.webp) 

Ferns

  ![Hakonechloa macra 'Variegata'](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/7f167979-4583-42ac-9c8c-480405974f9a/conversions/hakonechloa-macra-variegata-thumbnail.webp) 

Hakonechloa macra 'Variegata'

  ![Iris](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/1f0a83b7-bbdb-47ef-9fa2-5d00e7f4996f/conversions/iris-thumbnail.webp) 

Iris

  ![Pinus mugo](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/7d1e2ee8-864d-4cf3-9df4-37b344e32b71/conversions/pinus-mugo-thumbnail.webp) 

Pinus mugo

  ![Pinus parviflora](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/b602dd6d-1e17-47e0-bb4e-f1680e4d16f1/conversions/pinus-parviflora-thumbnail.webp) 

Pinus parviflora

  ![Pinus sylvestris](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/8585cb3e-be1b-4372-825b-15356737d25d/conversions/pinus-sylvestris-thumbnail.webp) 

Pinus sylvestris

  ![Prunus](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/283cbf21-e634-4b37-a2df-c850256f4bb3/conversions/prunus-thumbnail.webp) 

Prunus

  ![Stewartia malacodendron](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/c9b6699b-c587-44b8-9749-ce80fbe41d31/conversions/stewartia-malacodendron-thumbnail.webp) 

Stewartia malacodendron

  ![Tiarella cordifolia](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/a91ba345-09d8-4112-9fe6-e7de90de1e95/conversions/tiarella-thumbnail.webp) 

Tiarella cordifolia

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