An aspiring young garden designer from Sheffield will exhibit for the first time at the RHS Wentworth Woodhouse Flower Show this year, thanks to backing from Barista Bar, the retail coffee-to-go brand available across the UK.
Sam Dryell (25), already award-winning after receiving the Silver Gilt Media for his garden ‘Smashing Borders’ at RHS Tatton Park in 2024, has now been announced as a finalist in the RHS Young Designer of the Year 2025, which will be judged at the Wentworth Woodhouse show this July, as the RHS marks an historic moment of hosting their first ever flower show in Yorkshire.
“Yorkshire is close to my heart, so this is a deeply personal experience for me to bring my creativity and love for the land around me to RHS’s first ever flower show in the county,” says Dryell , continuing; “It is even better to have the backing of Barista Bar who believe in my concept and understand the culture that is seeded throughout my work, not only celebrating my local roots, but my commitment to using eco-friendly materials and practices to future-proof my gardens for generations.
“My garden’s design inspiration also comes from the lavish 18th century tea parties that were hosted at Wentworth House and the time-worn elegance of Rockingham porcelain, so it is fitting to be supported by a hot drinks brand that encapsulates that social element of a shared experience, but also encourages a moment of reflection and quiet with a hot drink as your companion.”
Barista Bar is a homegrown brand from Northern Ireland, specialising in retail coffee-to-go and available in Spar stores in Northern Ireland and Scotland, and Co-op stores across the east of England. In total, the brand has over 800 machines in 620 outlets across the UK.
Keavy O’Mahony-Truesdale, national brand and business development manager at Barista Bar, added: “At Barista Bar we are passionate about homegrown talent and are delighted to support Sam at the RHS Wentworth Woodhouse Flower Show. We believe wholeheartedly in his ethos to build a space where authenticity, sustainability, nature and heritage thrive.
“For the past 10 years we have been operating in communities across the UK, bringing people together with our coffee offering. We are passionate about keeping their communities thriving and celebrating their heritage through our community engagement initiatives, while always striving for sustainability throughout our products, partnerships and practices.
“We wish Sam all the best with ‘A Potted History’ at this inaugural flower show in his home county.”
Dryell ’s garden, ‘A Potted History: Echoes of Rockingham’ pays homage to Lady Rockingham’s tea ceremonies amid the blooming camelias at Wentworth House in the 18th century.
Guests sipped tea from exquisite Rockingham porcelain at the Waterloo Kiln, the only surviving pottery kiln of its kind in Yorkshire. Celebrating artistry, tradition and social splendour, Dryell’s garden invites visitors to step back in time and rediscover the grandeur of Rockingham Pottery and Wentworth House’s vibrant tea culture, ensuring this lost chapter of Rotherham’s history thrives for generations to come.
Dryell finished; “Barista Bar has been incredibly supportive throughout this journey, and I’m so grateful to have them as the headline sponsor for my garden. Their backing has given me the opportunity to bring my vision to life on a larger scale, creating a garden that truly reflects my style and potential as a young, emerging designer. This kind of support is invaluable at this stage in my career, and it’s helped open the door to an exciting next step in horticulture.”
