Friday 25 MayAs the second of the public days at the show is well under way the finalists for the BBC RHS People's Award are announced. |  |
Latest4 pmFlower powerThe second session of the Floral Art competition at Chelsea has been won by Wendy Parsons, an amateur flower arranger from East Sussex. It’s Wendy’s first gold medal at Chelsea, and only her second time at the show.  “I’m very pleased,” she says. “You always hope you’ll win something, but I didn’t expect this.” Wendy chose the Floral Profusion category, and used a vibrant mix of orange and pink to create a “Horn of Plenty”. Roses and carnations interspersed with exotic celosia and gloriosa lilies cascade in profusion over the edge of an elegant container. “I try to pick flowers for their different textures and contrast them,” says Wendy. “I love orange, too - it’s my favourite colour, and when it’s teamed with pink I find it very vibrant. I try to use it in all my arrangements.” Wendy has been flower arranging for over 25 years, and says it is gradually taking over every room in the house, as well as the garage. Three gold medals were awarded in the floral art competition. In Floristry, where for the first time the competition has bridal floristry as a theme, Betty Jones won the only gold and Best Floristry Exhibit. 3 pmPeople’s Award finalists announced The four finalists in the 2007 BBC RHS People’s Awards, voted for by the general public, have been announced. They are: The Fetzer Sustainable Winery Garden, by Kate Frey; the Chris Beardshaw Garden; the Cancer Research UK Garden, by Andy Sturgeon; and the Westland Garden, by Diarmuid Gavin.
 The result is noticeably different from the opinion of the RHS judges. Just two of the gardens - the Fetzer garden and the Cancer Research garden, were awarded gold; the Chris Beardshaw Garden and the Westland Garden won Silver Gilt. And the judges’ controversial pick for Best in Show, Sarah Eberle’s 600 Days with Bradstone, didn’t make it to the final at all. Voting is now open for the public to choose between the four finalists. Voting for the Best Small Garden category is continuing too until 12.45. The winners will be announced tomorrow evening on the last of the BBC Two shows from Chelsea. Cast your vote here. |