Three individual traders have been given a rare opportunity to showcase their skills after being invited to take part in a famous flower show.

Friends Lisa Grant, Michael Rowland and Johanna Donna have been asked to design a show garden for the Hampton Court Flower Show in July.

The trio met on a business course two years ago and have already worked on several projects under their jointly-owned company Harmony Habitats.

Lisa, who runs Silver Moon Feng Shui in Worthing, designed the garden with Michael, the owner of Littlehampton based My New Garden.

Meanwhile Johanna, of Tempting Interiors, in Henfield, provided the furnishings for the garden and the touches needed to "add polish to the final product".

They were chosen by the RoyalHorticultural Society to build the garden after Michael submitted their drawing board entry earlier this year.

Lisa said: "We are thrilled to bits. This event is all about prestige. You can win gold, silver or bronze or miss out altogether. "We are going for gold."

The garden is called the Alternative Feng Shui Garden and was inspired by a BBC 2 programme last year about the lost gardens of Le Chaire in the Channel Isles.

Although neglected and overgrown with weeds, Lisa was struck by the garden's terraced walks.

She also loved its romantic setting on top of the cliffs.

She said she could sense the five elements of feng shui - fire, earth, metal, water and wood - in the garden and began sketching ideas on a drawing board.

What emerged was The Alternative Feng Shui Garden, a woodland walk and retreat honouring the principles of feng shui in a peaceful planted setting.

Lisa said: "A feng shui garden does not have to be a minimalist landscape with a little bridge and wind chimes.

"Any garden can be turned into a feng shui one - an English country garden, a wildlife garden, even a vegetable patch."

Harmony Habitats is looking for a sponsor for the garden which will be dismantled and rebuilt for a children's charity after the event. Contact Lisa on 01903 751384 / 07866 034367.

April 19, 2005