THE tranquillity of a Yorkshire country garden has been created in the hurly-burly of London.

Visitors to the Chelsea Flower Show are being transported to the peaceful broad acres with an exhibit created for the regional development agency Yorkshire Forward.

Nine-times Chelsea gold medal winner Julian Dowle has created a garden celebrating the heritage of the region.

Called Yorkshire - Alive with Opportunity, it has been in the planning since July last year, and is made up of 29 trees, 200 woodland ferns, 14 climbers and 700 cottage plants and roses.

Some 26 yards of Yorkshire paving flagstones have been used in the construction of the path, while five lorry-loads of stone and roofing tiles have gone into building the beck and barn.

Mr Dowle said: "There is a lot of emphasis on landscaping, and using native trees and wild flowers to Yorkshire, together with a stunning garden of cottage plants in a 12 by 15 metre display."

The garden has been set in the limestone country of the Yorkshire Dales, at the edge of a village. The landscape is enlivened by a spring and waterfall filling the beck.

Yorkshire craftsmen have built dry stone walling in the garden and on the bridge to celebrate a tradition that goes back hundreds of years.

Garden has its roots in region's history

THE North-East's role as the cradle of English literature is celebrated in a display at the Chelsea Flower Show this week.

Newcastle City Council has entered the Lindisfarne Gospel Garden, based on the world-famous 8th Century text.

Designed by Stan Timmins, the authority's principal grounds maintenance manager, it is dominated by a 12ft Celtic cross decorated with flowers. It also features a floral statue of St Aidan and four Canon Tables creating a screen, each of them representing one of the four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

It is the second time the council has entered the show. Last year, its joint entry with Gateshead, in support of Tyneside's European Capital of Culture bid, won a silver award.