The garden industry collaborative exhibit in the Great Pavilion at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show has been awarded a Silver-Gilt Medal. The project spearheaded by The Sun’s Gardening Correspondent Peter Seabrook and co-ordinated by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA). Working in association with the Garden Centre Association (GCA) the exhibit has brought together over 120 suppliers, growers and garden retailers and features over 40 new plants.

The Sun Flower Square in the Great Pavilion features four model garden displays, each 4m x 4m square, the same size as the average front garden in Britain.  The four elements of the exhibit are:

• Love the Plot You’ve Got – Room Outside – designed by Lovania Nurseries demonstrates how a hard landscaped front garden can be greened and decorated with woody plants and hardy perennials to form an inspiring outdoor space.  It is packed full of inspiring ideas to capture the imagination from plant cupcakes, fairy gardens to insect hotels and planted coconuts.
• GCA Golden Jubilee Hanging Basket Garden - members of the GCA, who are celebrating their Golden Jubilee this year, have presented a massed display of containers hanging from pergolas above ground filling patio pots.  Garden centres that are contributing include Squire’s, Coolings, Perrywood, Cowell’s, Van Hage, Gordale, Old Railway Line, Ruxley Manor, Brookhouse and Meadow Croft.  Pots have been kindly been provided by Apta.
• The Seed Garden - major seed brands have come together to present a living catalogue of the flowers, fruits and vegetables they offer as both seeds and young plants.  Companies contributing include Suttons, Dobies, Marshalls, Unwins, Robinsons, Mr Fothergill’s, DT Brown, Woolmans and Johnsons.
• The Rising Stars Grow your Own Exhibit - supported by Westland Horticulture and their Rising Stars scheme, home grown is the theme of this garden.  Assisted by schools and colleges, this garden demonstrates the wide range of crops which can be produced where there is no available soil. It features an InstaPlant Living Wall from Kernock Park Plants which commemorates the Queen’s 90^th Birthday.

The exhibit attracted much interest on press day at Chelsea – visitors included Head of News UK Rupert Murdoch and his wife Jerry Hall and actors Jim Carter and Imelda Staunton, along with plenty from photographers, TV and radio crews.  George Eustice MP, Minister for Defra spent half an hour visiting the stand and finding out more about collaboration across the industry.

An All Parliamentary Horticulture and Gardening Group visit attracted 22 MP’s who also spent time discovering the various elements of the exhibit with further tours plans over the coming days.

HTA Chief Executive Carol Paris comments,

“This is a real industry first for so many companies to come together to showcase horticulture. We are extremely grateful to Peter Seabrook who planted the initial seed for this and who has worked tirelessly to ensure that this came to fruition. A Silver-Gilt Medal is great and congratulations to all those who have contributed to make this a success. We look forward to seeing what the public reaction to the exhibit is over the coming days of the show.”

Peter Seabrook added thanks to Cassie King of the HTA for all her efforts in making the exhibit happen: "In case I forget, every possible sincere thank you for all you have done over the past months for Love the Plot you have Got exhibit.  It would never have happened without you, I have not meet anyone more committed, so quick to help and a real pleasure to work alongside.  You will probably never want to see another cabbage , but when you see Cabice in the catalogues in years to come it will be in no small part to your efforts.   With renewed thanks, Peter."




See more pictures of the exhibit in the GTN Xtra picture gallery here