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Mary Payne is a celebrated horticulturalist from Stanton Drew in Somerset. A gardener of 45 years experience, she won a gold medal last year for her debut display at Hampton Court and is eager to share her tips.

This is Mark's Hampton Court debut.

Although they compete in different categories, Mary said: “If there is any advice I could give him, it would be to leave at least one full day before judging for nitpicking, to pick off every dead leaf or flower, and make sure none of the pots are showing.

“Plants also need time to re-orientate themselves in their new surroundings and time to spread out.”

She also advised Mark to factor in substantial plant damage and losses.

“For every plant that I expect to use, I make sure I have ten others standing by ready, so that I can choose the most perfect example, at the right stage of bloom, the right shade, the right everything on the day and even then you might be unlucky.”

The secret to show success

Mary swears by an extensive emergency repair kit.

She said: “Have plenty of extra helpers on the day and take lots of equipment, a watering can, dustpan and brush, scissors, string, stakes, staplers- and blu tack, very hand to stick stems up discreetly.”

One of the hardest aspects of competing at events like the Chelsea Flower Show, is maintaining the quality of the exhibition gardens over five days.

Mary said: “It’s an artificial environment and everyone accepts that. But before he plants anything he needs to make sure everything is thoroughly watered, because the garden has to be maintained to the same standard as it was judged at for five days.”

Pic of Mary's winning entry by Beth Galloway

Mary’s winning design, entitled The Village Post Office, Garage and Market Garden, was inspired by a 1950s theme.

On the strength of that design she has been invited to work on this year’s Dream Cottage garden- in the Daily Mail home give away, arguably the most viewed garden in the entire exhibition.

She said: “The house is a very pretty thatched Dorset style cottage and we are creating the garden around it.

“We pretended the cottage was part of an estate and that it belonged to the head gardener who is very keen on growing vegetables for his family.

“We decided he would also be very into exhibiting his flowers and vegetables at competition level.

“Meanwhile his wife likes tending the ornamental garden, so she has her Dahlias and Delphiniums.

“But this is also a family area, so there will be live guinea pigs on the lawn and we will have weeds and working compost heaps and a little path leading to a paddock for the miniature donkeys for the children- foot and mouth restrictions permitting.”

Like Mark, Mary agrees there seems to be a bias towards garden designers from the London area and she welcomed his support in representing the South West.