Gardeners’ World fans heap praise on Carol Klein as she wins prestigious award
GARDENERS’ World viewers were full of praise for presenter Carol Klein tonight as they watched her receive a prestigious award.
The avid gardener, 78, received Hampton Court’s RHS Horticultural Hero award 2023 for her stunning feature entry at this year’s show.
The huge outdoor space was awash with shades of blue and purple and split into six different habitats.
Carol told The English Garden after her win: “It’s a privilege, but it’s also the first time I’ve designed a garden since 1999, so it’s been very hard work.
“It’s a huge space, 375 square metres, and when I walked it out for the first time I was astonished. When you’re creating a show garden, it’s a very different proposition to a real garden, and it has to perform at a specific time.
“The garden is divided into six habitats: wetland, woodland, hedgerow, meadow, seaside and a vegetable patch. They flow together with no physical divisions. It’s quite a challenge when on one side you’ve got a boggy garden and then on the other side you’ve got a dry, well-drained area.”
After seeing the garden on screens tonight, fans flocked to compliment her.
One said: “Well done, @CarolKlein, Horticultural Hero(ine). It worked!”
A second posted: “Carol Klein’s garden WAS Hampton Court this year I’d say. Nothing else came close.”
A third wrote: “A joy seeing Carol’s garden come together. All the people behind the scenes making it happen. It looks glorious.”
A fourth said: “God Bless Carol Klein. Queen of the Plot.”
Carol also shared her hopes that Gardeners’ World would one day appoint a main female presenter for the first time in its 55 year history – though it’s not a role she covets.
She told Hort Week: “I’ve no idea, that’s somewhere where I don’t want to go. I hope so. I think it would be great. I can’t see why there hasn’t been one already.”