It might be pouring it down but it's not doom and gloom everywhere - a Warwickshire Garden Designer from Kenilworth has just won three garden design awards at the Stoneleigh Royal Show.

Photo: Warwickshire Garden Designer - Sandra Clough

I spoke to Warwickshire garden designer Sandra Clough of Gardens for Living who walked away with three garden design awards for her designs at this year's Royal Show. Sandra, 45, was using the show to launch her new garden design business; Gardens 4 Living.

Photo: Award-winning garden design

The '2-Tone Garden', inspired by the Coventry music scene of the late 1970's, won the Hazlerigg Cup, the Stewards' Award for Merit and the Large Gold Medal with a prize of £500. Despite the unseasonal weather Sandra managed to create the 6x6m garden in ten days with the support of Marshall Landscapes Limited (Warwickshire) and Smith's Nurseries of Bagington who lent her the plants.

The judges' verdict was that her garden design had reached exceptional standards in both concept and the creative use of planting - she was a worthy garden design awards winner. Dark slate with white rendered walls provided the dramatic formal contrast to accommodate swathes of informal, cottage garden planting including foxgloves, roses, hostas and lavender, finished-off with a water feature.

Photo: Award-winning garden design

Warwickshire garden designer Sandra said: "I couldn't have wished for a better launch for my business as a Garden Designer. The partnership with Marshall Landscapes (Warwickshire Ltd) and the support from Smith's Nurseries and Travis Perkins meant we could make my design come alive." Here at JuggleFrogs we think she truly deserved her garden design awards.

For more Garden Design ideas visit our photo gallery and "Be Inspired" with lots of Garden Designers work.