Garden of Evolution, created by Professor Alice Roberts, is awarded Platinum and Best in Show at Gardeners’ World Live 2026.
Professor Alice Roberts with the Ajkaceratops dinosaur model
The Garden of Evolution, created by author, broadcaster and University of Birmingham academic Professor Alice Roberts and internationally renowned garden designer Professor David Stevens, has been awarded a Platinum Medal and named Best in Show at BBC Gardeners’ World Live 2026.
Now fully installed at the NEC Birmingham, the garden is one of the headline attractions of this year’s event, running from 18-21 June.
With each area revealing a different chapter of the evolution of life on earth, from the first living cells to the rise of modern humans, the garden traces the evolution of plants and life forms from their first appearance on our planet through to the present day.
Showcasing world leading research from the University of Birmingham - from palaeontology, through to climate change - the garden offers visitors a uniquely immersive experience, revealing how life has transformed over billions of years and continues to evolve in response to a changing planet.
Commenting on the award, Professor Alice Roberts said: “I am thrilled that the Garden of Evolution has been awarded a Platinum Medal and judged Best in Show. This has been a huge team effort - I worked on the concept with garden designer David Stevens and so many colleagues at the university have been involved too - from Biosciences, the Lapworth Museum and Winterbourne Gardens.
“It has been a joy to bring the story of life on Earth into a living, breathing space in collaboration with David Stevens and to showcase the extraordinary research taking place at the University of Birmingham.”
It has been a joy to bring the story of life on Earth into a living, breathing space in collaboration with David Stevens and to showcase the extraordinary research taking place at the University of Birmingham.
Professor Alice Roberts and David Stevens
One of the garden’s most striking features is a life-size model of the Ajkaceratops, a small and unusual dinosaur related to Triceratops, on display in the Cretaceous section of The Garden of Evolution.
First discovered in 2010, the species has been the subject of recent research by University of Birmingham palaeontologists, who published new material earlier this year that reshaped scientific understanding of Late Cretaceous ecosystems in Europe.
Its inclusion in the garden highlights the University’s global leadership in palaeontological research and its role in uncovering new insights into prehistoric life.
A life-size model of the Ajkaceratops dinosaur
Rob MacKenzie, Director of The Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR), and Jeremy Pritchard, Director of Education at BIFoR – alongside experts from the Lapworth Museum of Geology – worked with Alice and David to develop the garden, providing expertise on how climate evolution will shape life on earth.
The garden translates multi-disciplinary academic work into an experience that can be enjoyed by visitors of all ages, from evolutionary biology and palaeontology to climate and forest science.
This includes a model of the University’s pioneering BiFoR FACE facility - one of the world’s largest experiments investigating how forests respond to rising carbon dioxide levels, which highlights the University’s world‑leading research into forest resilience and environmental change.
Jeremy Pritchard, Professor of Life Sciences Education at the University of Birmingham, said: “It has been a privilege to support the development of Alice Roberts’ Garden of Evolution, and a fantastic opportunity to showcase our BiFoR FACE climate experiment on a national stage.
“As we mark the facility’s 10‑year anniversary, it is especially meaningful to highlight the vital work it has done to advance our understanding of how forests respond to environmental change.”
It has been a privilege to support the development of Alice Roberts’ Garden of Evolution, and a fantastic opportunity to showcase our BiFoR FACE climate experiment on a national stage.
A model of a 300-million-year-old millipede
One of the UK’s largest gardening shows, held annually at the NEC, BBC Gardeners’ World Live features inspiring garden shows, exquisite floral displays, expert horticultural advice, and live entertainment, offering visitors inspiration and imagination to bring their garden ideas to life.
By transforming the University’s innovative research into an immersive public experience, the award-winning garden helps visitors understand how life has changed over billions of years, and how it continues to evolve in response to a rapidly changing climate.
The Garden of Evolution is now open to visitors at BBC Gardeners’ World Live at the NEC until Sunday 21 June.
Professor Alice Roberts hosting live conversations in the Garden of Evolution
For more information, please contact the University of Birmingham Press Office on +44 (0)121 414 2772
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Professor of Public Engagement in Science
Alice Roberts is an anatomist, author and broadcaster. Her research interests focus on evolutionary anatomy, osteoarchaeology and palaeopathology.
Professor of Life Sciences Education
Professor Pritchard is expert in plants, evolution and the natural environment.
Director, Birmingham Institute of Forest Research
Professor Rob MacKenzie, is an atmospheric scientist with a particular interest in how plants affect air composition.
