Real gardens: Platform 2, Leamington Spa Station

Standing on a station platform is normally something we do reluctantly. It isn’t really an activity you would wish to draw out. Unless of course, you are waiting for a train at Leamington Spa station. Then you might will your train to be late so you can wander a little longer around the beautiful platform garden, created by a team of volunteers.

This week, the station garden beat off competition from rolling country estates to win the Country Life Awards, in association with Waitrose. Thirty volunteers work on the platform garden, and have created a long lawn, flower beds and a 164ft herbaceous border. There is also a yew hedge and three plum trees.

Seeing the underdog triumph in such a prestigious national competition is heart-warming, and should encourage more gardeners to take up spades and beautify the places many of us know far better than our own gardens. As a mildly embittered commuter myself, I envy those passengers waiting on platform 2.