Hadlow offers one of the few degree programmes so far available in sustainability, and so it was fitting that the college’s garden at the Kent County Show demonstrated sustainable ways of growing vegetables.

Awarded the Top Gold Medal, The Squared Circle garden wowed judges and visitors with its combination of ideas from kitchen gardens of the past, blended with today’s desire for aesthetically pleasing designs.

The four cyclical rotational vegetable beds demonstrated the way in which, for centuries, our forefathers used rotation to inhibit the build-up of pests. With no pesticides available to them, farmers and gardeners depended on land management for success and rotation played a vitally important part.

The Squared Circle rotation plan consisted of, in the first year:

• Area A - brassicas, cauliflower, radish and swede

• Area B - peas, beans, corn and squashes

• Area C - onions, garlic, leeks, carrots, celery, parsley and parsnips

• Area D - different varieties of potato.

And in the second year, area A becomes peas, beans, corn and squashes and everything else moves round.

The Squared Circle also demonstrated the benefits to be derived from companion planting. Beans were included both for their symbiotic nitrogen-fixing abilities and for their nutritional value. Marigolds were planted in abundance to release thiopene, a nematode repellent, and their cheery colours contrasted well in this green, environment-friendly garden. Young and tender plants were nursed and afforded wind protection by sturdier, bigger plants. Herbs, which have benefited hugely from the TV exposure from celebrity chefs, were planted for both their culinary delights and because they attract beneficial insects. The mixed crop planting scheme was devised to avoid the entire area being decimated by build-up of a single pest.

Companion planting has to be undertaken with knowledge and care, because what benefits one plant can be a downright hindrance to another. The Squared Circle showed how to derive benefits and avoid hindrances.

Alliums are a good companion to fruit trees, tomatoes, peppers, brassicas, carrots and potatoes, etc, for repelling aphids, slugs and carrot fly. Carrots are a good companion to tomatoes, alliums and peas, for encouraging growth. Beans are a good match with sweetcorn, spinach, lettuce, rosemary and carrots, for adding nitrogen to the soil. Celery suits brassicas, as it discourages damage by butterflies.

Beneficial herbs planted in The Squared Circle included basil, borage garlic, hyssop, lovage, oregano, peppermint, rosemary and sage.

A compost bin drew attention to the importance of recycling organic matter, and water storage was also covered. Tomatoes were grown both outdoors and in the small glasshouse. The garden was extensively planted with flowers and herbs, and sitting-out areas were located where they afforded the best views.

The Squared Circle was not a large garden, but it provided a wonderful example of how quite a small space can be used to produce food in attractive and environment-friendly ways.

Consumer interest in organically produced fruit and vegetables has grown consistently and many of the new kitchen gardeners are opting to grow their produce without using pesticides. It very much remains to be seen whether or not this trend will continue unabated in light of the recent Food Standards Agency report. Research undertaken on the agency’s behalf by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine concluded that there are no additional health benefits to be derived from organically produced fruit and vegetables, as opposed to those conventionally produced.

Of course, not everyone who opts to buy - or grow - organic produce does so because of perceived health benefits. As many - probably more - do so because they believe cutting out the use of pesticides has substantial environmental benefits.

Visitors to The Squared Circle queued to pick up a sketch copy of the garden design and the planting plan, provided free, and lecturers and students were kept busy all day long on all three show days, answering questions and providing advice and information.

This year has seen the demise of the Royal Show and news that the future of other large agricultural shows is threatened has filtered to the media. It’s concerning that the gate went down at the Kent County Show, largely as a result of some not very good weather. Inevitably, this has resulted in debate about whether or not the show will follow in the path of the Royal Show.

Fortunately, the Kent County Agricultural Society is absolutely adamant that it has not had any thoughts about discontinuing the show next year - and for many years to follow. This is an important decision for a county that is designated 85 per cent rural and produces such a large proportion of the UK’s fruit and vegetables.

As well as winning Top Gold for the garden, Hadlow walked off with prizes for Best Agricultural Stand, Best Horticultural Exhibit, a reserve championship in the cattle section, prizes for college-bred sports horses, and numerous other accolades. All in all, a good three days.

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