The Atlantic Hotel Triumphs in the 2024 RJA&HS All Island Garden Competition
The Atlantic Hotel is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded the Best Hotel Garden of the Year 2024 by the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society. The hotel’s gardens and grounds achieved an impressive score of 94 points, reflecting the dedication and expertise of The Atlantic’s talented gardening team: John Taylor, Nick Le Luan, and Rhys Carre.
At the beginning of July, judges from the RJA&HS embark on an island-wide search for the finest gardens. The evaluation criteria extend beyond visible beauty, encompassing numerous aspects that contribute to the overall health and sustainability of the gardens. This year’s award is testament to the numerous improvements made by the hotel’s gardeners, with a strong focus on long-term sustainability.
Patrick Burke, Managing Director of The Atlantic Hotel, expressed his heartfelt appreciation: “I am incredibly proud of our gardening team. Their unwavering dedication and passion for their craft have transformed our garden into a sanctuary of beauty and sustainability. In the past two years, we have enhanced our garden by sowing wildflowers, leading to a record variety of different flowers this year. Our commitment to wildlife has been demonstrated through the addition of areas designed to support bees, hedgehogs, and nesting birds. Moreover, we have increased our composting capacity in collaboration with our food and beverage team, allowing us to nourish our entire garden this season with 100% homemade compost.”
The journey to this award was not without challenges. In November, Storm Ciaran struck with force 12 winds from the west, causing significant damage. Many of the hotel’s iconic pine trees, which had been part of the landscape for decades, were lost. Windows were broken, and walls around the car park were severely damaged.
Patrick Burke continued, “Despite the challenges posed by Storm Ciaran, the team has shown remarkable resilience and commitment, swiftly clearing the debris and preparing the garden for the new season. It is their relentless hard work, come rain or shine, that has earned us this prestigious award.”