Success at first try for partners at spring show (From Cotswold Journal)

Success at first try for partners at spring show

2:00pm Sunday 20th May 2012 in News

NURSERY partners Julia Mitchell and Joanne Yates couldn’t believe it when they were told they had won a medal at the prestigious Spring Gardening Show at their first attempt.

The partners in Green JJam Nurseries in Knowle Hill, Evesham, were awarded a bronze flora for their display of penstemon and associated plants in the flora marquee on the Three Counties Showground.

They look after the National Penstemon Collection at Pershore College where Julia was formerly a student and where she set it up as a student project.

“We decided that now we had started a mail order side of our business we would try this show just to see how we got on,” Julia said. “We are obviously over the moon with the result. Because the weather has been so bad of late we have had to use heat and light on the plants in order to get a display. It was a real struggle to get here.”

They started setting up their display on Wednesday lunchtime and put the finishing touches just a few hours before the show opened the following day.

The nursery was recently awarded a business grant from Wychavon District Council which enabled them to develop a website for the nursery.

Fibrex Nurseries, of Honeybourne Road, Pebworth, consistent winners at the show, were awarded a gold for a display of ivies and hardy ferns, and Cotswold Garden Flowers, of Sands Lane, Badsey, won a silver gilt flora for the flower arranger’s garden.

In the school garden awards, Pershore College was highly commended.

Meanwhile, collecting their first gold at the show, one of only three awarded for trade stands, were Keder Greenhouses, of Newtown, Offenham.

“We have been coming here for some years and this time tried to create a more show garden effect,” said Peter Monahan, of the firm.

“Having been involved at Hampton Court we have been able to pick up some tips therer and done something on a smaller scale here to show people what can be done with out greenhouses.

We were very pleased to get the gold accolade in the face of such strong competition.”

Keder provided the greenhouse for the revamped children’s learning garden, opened during the show by the Bishop of Worcester, the Rt Rev John Inge.

The showground offers opportunities for local schools and colleges to get involved in hands-on horticulture throughout the year.

Pershore College, which was also involved with the learning centre, was awarded a silver for the college trade stand.