SUFFOLK SHOW TRIUMPH!

Well, we did it!! After several 13 hour days - CROWN NURSERY scored a great victory at the SUFFOLK SHOW!! Our stand in the flower tent - was awarded a LARGE GOLD MEDAL - and to cap it all - the PERPETUAL CHALLENGE CUP FOR THE BEST TRADE EXHIBIT IN THE SHOW!!

The certificates below for the medal and the cup are a testament to all the hard work put in by everybody. The PERPETUAL CHALLENGE CUP that I am holding is for every member of the CROWN NURSERY team. Every single person on the nursery was involved in some way - from growing the plants - to designing the stand - to producing the countless labels and literature - to moving plants up to 5 times in some cases, so ensuring they did not go over too quick. The brilliance of Brian and his landscape gang - ensured that the decking area built into the stand was superb - and also the considerable logistical headaches of transporting hundreds and hundreds of plants to the showground - and back again - were achieved in an incredibly short timescale.

Out of those hundreds and hundreds of plants - in true CROWN NURSERY style - 20ft trees were also included - all moved around - also pallets of turf - and countless barrows of mulch - all coming together to make the stand the sucess it deserved to be. To all those of you who came to see us - a big THANK YOU for your kind comments! And to those of you that did not come to the show - a range of photos of the stand will be appearing on our website very soon.

The name of our stand - was 'THYME FOR TEA' - a deliberate play on the word time. A cottage garden effect with a mature backdrop of large trees and shrubs - a woodland glade at one end - and a decking area with a seat - surrounded by scented plants at the other. A real garden for relaxation after a hard day. Such a range of plants were used - far too numerous to mention - but the CUPS AND SAUCERS filled with herbs drew much admiration.

In reality though, it was probably our ALTERNATIVE HANGING BASKETS that caused the most comment. A quite brilliant idea of Graeme's - we used a roll of turf in the bottom of the basket instead of the usual boring liner - and after just three weeks it had grown through to hide the basket completely. Compost was then added in the normal way - and we used EUONYMUS 'EMERALD GAIETY' as the main plant in the top - incredibly simple - but so many people could not believe their eyes!! You can see them in the photo - mounted on stands - and surrounded by typical cottage garden style planting.

Not content with all this - we also produced yet another incredible stand - this time outside the tent - this one was really GRAEME'S BABY - and he did himself and the nursery proud, despite having to put up with the most incredible gales on the first day of the show. This was the 'EDIBLE GARDEN' - 4 raised beds incorporating a glorious mix of herbs, fruit and easy-to-grow vegetables in the smallest of spaces. Again, thank you to so many people for all the interest shown.

These photos are just a taster of an incredible fortnight at Crown Nursery - at times the task seemed endless - and the days never-ending - but in the end we got there - and every single member of the team deserves a huge pat on the back. We are still sorting out the returned plants from the show - and getting them back into their rightful positions on the sales area - it is another whole year - before the next Suffolk Show - but we are already planning what we are going to do!!

Until next time,

RICHARD