Neighbours' blooming great success

SUFFOLK neighbours have returned home with a unique double after making a big impact at the prestigious Hampton Court Flower Show with their blooms.

Sue Wooster and Tom Hoblin are now back in their village of Bardwell, near Bury St Edmunds, with their respective silver gilt and gold medals for their efforts at the Royal Horticultural Society show.

Mrs Wooster, who was attending the show for the first time, was displaying part of her collection of Alpine Campanulas.

She said she was delighted with her achievement: “This is my first show and I am very pleased to have picked up a high medal. I am feeling a bit like a zombie and a bit gardened out at the moment.

“I had lots of planning and lots of ideas on how best to display the flowers. I had to hold some plants back in cold storage and others I had to bring on to make sure they were all in full flower for the show.”

She said she had adored campanulas since a holiday several years ago: “I first fell in love with them on a visit to the Italian Dolomites in the 1980s where they grow naturally. I became obsessed seven years ago when I started collecting them and now I have the National Collection here in Bardwell.”

Mr Hoblin said he was thrilled to have received a gold medal for his garden, which was sponsored by Volvo cars and inspired by Essex-based abstract artist Simon Carter, who works at Frinton on Sea.

“It is unusual for two winners to be neighbours,” he said. “We didn't help each other much because we work in different disciplines but we did offer each other moral support.

“It was 28 days of work often working long hours from 7am until 9pm. I had the largest show garden at Hampton Court and it used 2,500 plants.

“I loved it but as soon as I heard about the award the first thing I said was 'thank God I don't have to do that again'.”

They were two of 10 winners across the county who came away with medals in different disciplines from bronze ranging through to six gold medals.