The Eel Catcher's Garden - GardensDB Browse [ ![](/images/leaf_icon.svg) Gardens**DB** ](https://gardensdb.com) [ Gardens ](https://gardensdb.com/gardens) [ Shows ](https://gardensdb.com/shows) [ Studios ](https://gardensdb.com/studios) [ People ](https://gardensdb.com/people) [ Search gardens, designers, shows… ](https://gardensdb.com/search) [ Login ](https://gardensdb.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fgardensdb.com%2Fgardens%2Fthe-eel-catchers-garden) [ Register ](https://gardensdb.com/register) [ ](https://gardensdb.com/search) Discover - [ Home ](https://gardensdb.com) - [ Gardens ](https://gardensdb.com/gardens) - [ Shows ](https://gardensdb.com/shows) - [ Events ](https://gardensdb.com/events) - [ 360° tours ](https://gardensdb.com/360-tours) - [ Trails ](https://gardensdb.com/trails) People & studios - [ People ](https://gardensdb.com/people) - [ Studios ](https://gardensdb.com/studios) - [ Books ](https://gardensdb.com/books) - [ Jobs ](https://gardensdb.com/jobs) Organisations - [ Sponsors ](https://gardensdb.com/sponsors) - [ Charity & non-profits ](https://gardensdb.com/charities) - [ Collectives ](https://gardensdb.com/collectives) - [ Companies ](https://gardensdb.com/companies) - [ Education ](https://gardensdb.com/education-institutions) - [ Nurseries ](https://gardensdb.com/nurseries) Account - [ Login ](https://gardensdb.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fgardensdb.com%2Fgardens%2Fthe-eel-catchers-garden) - [ Register ](https://gardensdb.com/register) Discover - [ Home Today's highlights ](https://gardensdb.com) - [ Gardens Show gardens, catalogued ](https://gardensdb.com/gardens) - [ Shows Horticultural shows ](https://gardensdb.com/shows) - [ Events Festivals, courses & open days ](https://gardensdb.com/events) - [ 360° tours Step inside, long after the show packs up ](https://gardensdb.com/360-tours) - [ Trails Curated routes through the gardens ](https://gardensdb.com/trails) People & studios - [ People Designers, judges, growers ](https://gardensdb.com/people) - [ Studios Design practices ](https://gardensdb.com/studios) - [ Books Recommended reading ](https://gardensdb.com/books) - [ Jobs Roles in the industry ](https://gardensdb.com/jobs) Organisations - [ Sponsors Organisations that back the gardens ](https://gardensdb.com/sponsors) - [ Charity & non-profits Causes behind the gardens ](https://gardensdb.com/charities) - [ Collectives Groups & community projects ](https://gardensdb.com/collectives) - [ Companies Suppliers & contractors ](https://gardensdb.com/companies) - [ Education Schools, colleges & universities ](https://gardensdb.com/education-institutions) - [ Nurseries Plant suppliers & growers ](https://gardensdb.com/nurseries) [ Submit a garden ](https://gardensdb.com/gardens/submit) [ About GardensDB ](https://gardensdb.com/help) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/61756dd6-f4c9-44a2-ad69-debc91a5dc62/conversions/PXL_20260617_162501495-gallery.webp) [Gardens](https://gardensdb.com/gardens) / [ BBC Gardeners' World Live 2026 ](https://gardensdb.com/shows/bbc-gardeners-world-live-2026) Beautiful Borders ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/awards/bbc-gardeners-world-live-gold/icon.webp) Gold Award The Eel Catcher's Garden ========================== Designed by Nicola Stuart-Menteath At a glance Show BBC Gardeners' World Live Year 2026 Category Beautiful Borders Border Photo: GardensDB About this garden The story ----------- I grew up just outside Ely, a city named after the eels that once thrived in the marshy fens. My design is rooted in childhood memories among the wetlands, surrounded by reedbeds, sedges, and the folklore of eel catchers, who made their livelihood from the watery land. It reflects ecological succession, from the most water-loving plants to those that can cope with drier conditions, and the traditional eel-catching baskets provide structure and a glimpse into another time. The inclusion of the crab apple symbolises my own training in orcharding and forest gardening, reflecting my own life's succession. I'd like my design to question what a garden can be: a space on the margins between cultivation and wildness, yet vibrant and full of colour. It celebrates native resilient species that can endure extremes, sustain wildlife, and point towards the future of gardening grounded in beauty, ecology, and belonging. Award Recognition ------------- - ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/awards/bbc-gardeners-world-live-gold/icon.webp) Gold Award BBC Gardeners World Live The people behind it Designer ---------- - [ NS Nicola Stuart-Menteath Designer ](https://gardensdb.com/people/nicola-stuart-menteath) Photography Gallery --------- ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/61756dd6-f4c9-44a2-ad69-debc91a5dc62/conversions/PXL_20260617_162501495-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/793bdcce-fde0-4307-8f1d-4ab0beaba640/conversions/PXL_20260617_162458007-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/c5316ed0-4aa3-4085-a964-77ec5b672b41/conversions/PXL_20260617_162505317-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/f1b2a203-eda6-4b2a-b3ce-8c6b8bb9de4b/conversions/PXL_20260617_162508130-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/7208a192-73a9-42f9-9190-60e6388e1fd0/conversions/PXL_20260617_162512202.MP-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/ce1ca74a-30f2-4432-b84a-3ebd80140a00/conversions/PXL_20260617_162514400-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/e340d934-7cb6-453b-8738-84f9a9b9248d/conversions/PXL_20260617_162451999-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/8461cebb-e197-40ce-820c-635db2531c08/conversions/image-gallery.webp) ![]() / Photo: ![](/images/leaf_icon.svg) Gardens**DB** The world's largest collection of show gardens online, kept free, kept current, and shaped by the community that uses it. Browse - [ All gardens ](https://gardensdb.com/gardens) - [ People ](https://gardensdb.com/people) - [ Studios ](https://gardensdb.com/studios) - [ Shows ](https://gardensdb.com/shows) - [ Sponsors ](https://gardensdb.com/sponsors) - [ Charities ](https://gardensdb.com/charities) Contribute - [ Add a garden ](https://gardensdb.com/gardens/submit) - [ Suggest a correction ](https://gardensdb.com/help) About - [ What is GardensDB? ](https://gardensdb.com/help) - [ Contact ](https://gardensdb.com/help) - [ Help & FAQs ](https://gardensdb.com/help) © 2026 GardensDB. A community-driven catalogue.