Life on the Land - 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%2Flife-on-the-land) [ 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%2Flife-on-the-land) - [ 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/gardens/life-on-the-land/primary_image.webp?v=98a5ff81-207f-4278-939e-02b4c4c1592e) [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/rhs-silver-gilt-medal/icon.webp) Silver Gilt Medal Life on the Land ================== Designed by Madeline Mesias At a glance Show RHS Malvern Spring Festival Year 2026 Category Beautiful Borders Border About this garden The story ----------- Life on the Land is a garden border about remembering where food really comes from. In a world where vegetables often travel further than the people who eat them, this border brings food back to the soil it belongs to. Every plant, from heritage vegetables to fruit and perennials, has been chosen for flavour, resilience, and beauty rather than shelf life. Deep purples, near‑black foliage, and dark structural elements echo the richness of fertile earth, the place where nourishment begins. They serve as a reminder that what happens below the surface is just as important as what is harvested above it. The garden was born from a concern for food security, and from recognising how daunting growing food can feel for some people. Perennials provide the familiarity and beauty of a traditional garden, planted in a naturalistic style that supports pollinators and biodiversity while softening the productive elements of the border. When people grow even a small amount of what they eat, with easy access in their own gardens, they begin to understand the care, time, and skill involved. That understanding naturally leads to less waste and a deeper respect for food. Produce grown close to home and eaten in season simply tastes better, and when it can be cooked outdoors and enjoyed just steps from where it was grown, it becomes a genuinely life‑enriching experience. Life on the Land reflects the ethos of Madeline Mesias Landscape Design Studio: creating landscapes that support nature, families, and wellbeing, while quietly upgrading the way people live. It is not just a garden, but a way of living that is more connected, more grounded, and more nourished. Award Recognition ------------- - ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/awards/rhs-silver-gilt-medal/icon.webp) Silver Gilt Medal RHS The people behind it Designer ---------- - [ ![Madeline Mesias](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/people/madeline-mesias/profile_photo.webp?v=451a2397-b905-4d63-ba7f-ccee54969296) Madeline Mesias Designer ](https://gardensdb.com/people/madeline-mesias) Photography Gallery --------- ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/7518067c-ad41-4f5f-8b47-98cda4d479d2/conversions/PXL_20260509_133118273-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/8f30ca9f-cc11-49d6-80ad-b00006554a83/conversions/PXL_20260509_133122580.MP-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/9f3f8110-259c-4a7d-95d0-c004bf0cdf03/conversions/PXL_20260509_133125010.MP-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/d4b507c0-2a39-43e5-8f66-79ad874631fa/conversions/PXL_20260509_133137034-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/8ef9142c-9bec-4671-ac96-a014a62a0266/conversions/PXL_20260509_133131925-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/a8c137c6-8aca-4047-bc97-750567054932/conversions/PXL_20260509_133145564-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/1cb7acaf-979e-48ed-b535-22680efc6bae/conversions/PXL_20260509_133209015-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/1d1045a3-e120-4e8a-b184-cf5389aba71f/conversions/PXL_20260509_133729658-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/18ec3684-9be7-43b4-8242-f420c7fee745/conversions/PXL_20260509_133736571-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/5e08920b-cd02-4c20-9a98-b59674f95221/conversions/PXL_20260509_154640020-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/446d168b-00d6-4bc0-9ee6-287360997af6/conversions/PXL_20260509_154634440-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/981f5d2f-77af-414d-9707-7baf19ca3379/conversions/PXL_20260509_154645932-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/8674e574-2643-4022-8507-9dfcee8bb3e0/conversions/PXL_20260509_154652794-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/70ba6b33-7a0e-4df7-a525-2441c27cb8dc/conversions/PXL_20260509_154659538-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/ca062f4d-683a-4190-96be-9b0f04145d37/conversions/PXL_20260509_154702571.MP-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/88e5ad93-c182-4546-a655-f918fa7e5c64/conversions/PXL_20260509_154803111-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/22dff1b2-a2cc-4243-a828-dc5386ba14e3/conversions/PXL_20260509_154811200.MP-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/57508d75-32ab-4982-9958-476bdd41c51b/conversions/PXL_20260509_154815911-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/e232fc51-e603-4839-a5ec-6c479e1aca15/conversions/PXL_20260509_154823029-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/b848fdff-6ccc-44ab-a1af-36934ddd23fa/conversions/PXL_20260509_154827921.MP-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/1744a694-5228-423a-a582-17158fa90067/conversions/PXL_20260509_154955888-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/5ddae462-7601-4794-a2c2-074096189aee/conversions/PXL_20260509_155419372-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/22c891b4-8e27-4f92-a051-52d1e355dddb/PXL_20260509_133107913.jpg) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/43dfa3c4-47a5-4c11-a54f-0bd119ade622/conversions/6063B9E7-8369-47F7-AD1A-DA7039D3BC73_1_105_c-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/9700a1c5-d8f7-45da-8f49-55095f130c98/conversions/002165D3-6D4B-42A7-9DC2-C5DE0F45A4EB_1_105_c-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/4dac6104-1cf4-4a98-a090-173ea5f8e6fa/conversions/B2D1562A-89F3-43FA-B6FC-5749B2903F9D_1_105_c-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/412c189e-c9df-4275-a1a7-61f06fc26c4c/conversions/E66C4326-8770-4200-B528-E37E159CCF40_1_105_c-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/142a9228-7e36-4458-808f-48a810ef9c78/conversions/A4AD342A-D074-4305-AE4E-29D764E57BA3_1_105_c-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/34c2f403-880d-4b1f-84e1-a894231ce956/conversions/B9D1BA8B-4DFF-4105-8AF3-70B0DEFC710C_1_105_c-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/f293ff53-50dc-40fe-8995-a70dd9e159ff/conversions/7468F281-335F-4538-87AF-726E7F7C9159_1_105_c-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/be112ad7-4f88-4589-9465-b0b9e6dd7c0d/conversions/C18F7C83-7C44-420B-9D35-DB05A2F4CE54_1_105_c-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/3919b68e-100b-4319-9a3b-52d6a94f7207/conversions/05BD5153-CE1F-458B-9B53-333A87DD485F_1_105_c-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/b8b58756-a911-4948-89af-648316b85851/conversions/37C460C6-A771-4145-99B2-7D6B32642B4B_1_105_c-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/9a8f59f4-1cf1-482f-942a-3925eb5575b1/conversions/B66AB049-8C16-4686-B4BF-79CE244CE377_1_105_c-gallery.webp) Show 17 more Show less ![]() / Photo: Brought to life by Organisations --------------- ### Sponsors 3 - 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