A Celebration of Creativity, Community and Coastal Charm
Millboard is proud to have contributed to the Beacon Garden, the Gold Award-winning showcase garden at this year’s BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair, held 2–4 May 2025 at Beaulieu in Hampshire.
Designed by Matt Evans of The Garden Room Living & Landscape Studio, in association with Lighthouse Poole and Elliotts Builders Merchant, and constructed by Unique Projects Devon, the Beacon Garden brought together natural beauty and meaningful purpose. The design offered visitors a place to reflect, connect and engage—with the arts, with nature, and with each other.
As part of the garden’s material palette, Millboard’s Modello decking in Linear, Golden Oak and Enhanced Grain decking in Golden Oak were selected for use in key areas of the design.
A Garden with a Deeper Message
Inspired by the idea of a lighthouse as a beacon—guiding, comforting, and standing tall through changing conditions—the garden was designed to reflect the mission of Lighthouse Poole: to support and empower communities through inclusive access to the arts. More than a performance venue, Lighthouse runs extensive outreach programmes that use creativity to uplift and inspire.
“The Beacon Garden is a coastal garden that, like Lighthouse, is different every day,” said designer Matt Evans. “It was designed to promote and provide a nurturing platform for creative arts and culture to be showcased and thrive.”
Decking Designed for Coastal Character
Within the garden’s calm, coastal-inspired layout, the inclusion of Millboard’s Modello and Enhanced Grain decking helped establish a seamless connection between hard landscaping and the soft, naturalistic planting.
- Modello in Linear, Golden Oak brought a contemporary look with its clean lines and warm tones, echoing the driftwood hues found throughout the planting scheme.
- Enhanced Grain in Golden Oak added texture and natural variation, perfect for the walkways within the garden.
More than just a surface, Modello decking is a canvas for creativity. With over 50 layout possibilities, and available in a thoughtfully curated palette of contemporary tones, Modello gives designers and homeowners the freedom to create distinctive outdoor spaces that feel truly personal. Whether you’re designing a quiet retreat or a vibrant social zone, Modello adapts beautifully—offering structure, style and self-expression.
Chosen for their appearance and performance, both products are made from Millboard’s unique wood-free resin mineral composite, offering durability and resistance to weathering—ideal qualities for an outdoor space intended to evoke the elements of the coast.
Planting, Design and Vision
Coastal planting provided movement and softness, with textures, heights, and colours carefully layered to support the overall sense of calm and openness. Elements such as a corten steel pergola, sculptural features and layered materials added further depth and structure.
Every detail reflected the idea of a space shaped by both natural forces and human creativity—a balance between refuge and resilience, just like the Lighthouse organisation it represented.
Looking Ahead: A Garden for the Community
The Beacon Garden is more than a showpiece—it also serves as a starting point for a future outdoor café garden at the Lighthouse venue in Poole. This exciting project will build on the ideas presented at the fair, aiming to create a publicly accessible space where the local community can gather, create, and enjoy the outdoors.
Millboard is pleased to support the early stages of this development alongside the wider project team, helping to create welcoming and functional outdoor spaces that encourage connection and creativity.
Collaboration Behind the Success
The success of the Beacon Garden was made possible through strong and generous collaboration across the industry. We would like to extend our congratulations and thanks to:
- Matt and Elle Evans of Living & Landscape Design Studio, Poole | The Garden Room
- Lighthouse Poole for their community-focused vision
- Elliotts Builders Merchant for materials and sponsorship
- Unique Projects Devon for delivering the build to the highest standard
- And to all partners and suppliers who contributed to the finished garden:
@landscapeplus_uk, @starkandgreensmith, @nthdegree_uk, @farrowandball, @hilliergardencentres, @plantsfortrade
The Beacon Garden offered visitors more than design inspiration—it told a story about the power of community, the role of the arts in shaping meaningful places, and the importance of connection. We are proud that our decking products were included in such a thoughtful and beautifully executed garden, and we look forward to seeing how the project continues to grow in the months ahead.
Learn more about the decking used in the Beacon Garden:
Modello Decking – Linear Golden Oak
Enhanced Grain – Golden Oak
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