Guernsey charity Grow was part of a garden stand at the Chelsea Flower Show awarded a Gold medal.
Grow partnered with Burncoose Nurseries from Cornwall, whose award-winning display, ‘Over the Garden Hedge’ featured rare and unusual plants in contrasting planting styles linked by a traditional Cornish hedge.
Burncoose owner Charles Williams invited Grow to design and created two bespoke giant bug hotels, which became a distinctive feature within the garden’s foliage. Grow Crew members Alex Adamson and Alex Houchard, accompanied by Horticulture Manager Stuart Smale and Director Marguerite Talmage, joined the setup team during the final stages of preparation ahead of the show opening.
Mr Smale said: “We spent the weekend helping with tasks, including painting the stand surrounds and laying turf. It was a unique experience for the two Crew who thoroughly enjoyed the whole exercise.”
Charles Williams said: “We are delighted to have achieved our 29th Gold medal at Chelsea. Our collaboration with Grow has been hugely fulfilling. Their bug hotels were meticulously crafted and blended beautifully into the display. Our team enjoyed working alongside the Crew members, who worked hard and clearly enjoyed the experience.”
The Burncoose garden display is sponsored by Hand Picked Hotels whose Chairman is Grow patron Julia Hands. Mrs Hands said: “It was a pleasure to meet the Grow team at Chelsea and see how the Crew members had helped put the finishing touches to the display. This opportunity was incredibly special for them and they clearly felt welcome and valued by the Burncoose team.”
Marguerite Talmage, Director of Grow, said: “We are thrilled that Burncoose has been awarded a Gold medal. To see first-hand the dedication and teamwork that went into creating a display featuring more than 500 plants was inspiring. Being part of the collaboration has been enormously rewarding for all of us. The Crew gained confidence and self-esteem from working alongside the Burncoose team. We are extremely grateful for the warm welcome we received.
“For Grow’s Crew, contributing handcrafted bug hotels for one of the world’s most celebrated horticultural events is a powerful statement that creativity, skill and ambition flourish when given the right environment, regardless of background or ability.”
Pictured: Julia Hands Chairman Hand Picked Hotels and patron of Grow, Eve Swanson – Burncoose Garden designer, Grow Crew Alex Houchard and Alex Adamson, Grow Horticulture Manager Stuart Smale, Grow Director Marguerite Talmage, Louiosa Lazarowicz – Burncoose Garden Designer and Charles Williams owner of Burncooose Nurseries
Image credit Neil Applegate
