A FORMER Swindon College student shone at this year's Chelsea Flower Show.

Natasha Webb, 39, who studied at Euclid Street 20 years ago, and whose parents live in Blunsdon, returned to her home clutching a coveted silver medal for her roof garden design, which was a new category for this year's prestigious event.

The Rhus Garden showcased Natasha's unique garden art with stunning stainless steel wall panels inspired by Chinese textile design and plant forms in the garden.

Celebrity designer and television presenter Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen was quick to admire Natasha's outdoor art on the BBC's coverage of Chelsea Flower Show describing it as: "Laser cut outdoor wallpaper that I thoroughly approve of."

Collaborating with garden designer Freya Lawson, of Heavenly Gardens, Bristol, the creative pair designed a chic, practical urban space for a busy young couple to relax, entertain and work.

Structural and blocked evergreen planting complemented innovative woven oak fencing produced by flourishing young Somerset company Quercus Fencing.

Natasha received the Royal Horticultural Society silver medal from gardener and television presenter Rachel de Thame.

Natasha said: "We are thrilled to be part of the world's most famous flower show.

"I have met visitors from as far as New Zealand who have come over for five days purely to see the Chelsea Flower Show.

"Achieving a silver for my first show garden is down to everyone involved and the talent of Freya. We really bounced ideas off each other."

Natasha completed her studies at Swindon College before going on to complete a degree in textile design at West Surrey College of Art and Design.

Her extensive career as a textile designer for clients in New York and on the British high street shops of Hobbs, Marks and Spencer, Accessorize, Karen Millen and House of Fraser led her to extend her passion for pattern-making outdoors.

Her proud parents were delighted by their daughter's achievements.

Natasha's company To Grace was set up last year and has since gone from strength to strength.

Earlier this month her garden art featured prominently in the Cotswold based Graduate Gardeners show garden, A Reassuring Place, which won a gold medal at the prestigious RHS Spring Show at Malvern.

In the spring Natasha beat off stiff competition from other international sculptors and artists in order to showcase a series of outdoor panels throughout the summer at the Art In The Garden exhibition at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Romsey.

Natasha's work can be viewed by logging on to her website at www.designtograce.co.uk.