South Devon Schools help win a Silver-Gilt at Chelsea!

25th May 2011 by J Whitaker

Fabulous news! Yesterday I reported how nearly half the number of schools selected to appear in the ‘Miracle-Gro'wers Learning Journey gardens’ at the Chelsea Flower Show were from South Devon and now, thanks in part to one of the areas best loved garden centres in the area, they have won Silver-Gilt! An award that can only be bettered by the RHS Gold Medal - what a great achievement!

Jane Hartley, the Miracle-Gro Schools Co-ordinator, said: “This is a fantastic award and one we could not have achieved without the schools’ support and the children’s efforts. Their devotion and dedication to the project has enabled us to receive such a coveted award.”

The gardens were visited by Her Majesty The Queen, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, during the royal visit yesterday evening.

A group of children from Landscove C of E Primary School and their teacher, Hilary Gibbard attended the famous London Flower Show. “We were so excited when our turnips, sweetcorn, potatoes and watercress were chosen by the judges as good enough for Chelsea, and now were just amazed! It’s fantastic that we were a part of it all”.

The schools were helped and supported by Fermoy's Garden Centre near Newton Abbot. The director Alan Murdoch who has been instrumental in supporting the schools said, “We’ve been encouraging children and young people to grow their own fruit and vegetables for a long time, and this award makes it all very worth while. Next year we’ll go for Gold!”

Attached picture shows (left to right) Hilary Gibbard (Landscove CofE Primary School), Alan Murdoch (Fermoy's), Abe Green and Tom Irish (pupils at Landscove CofE), Peter Seabrook MBE (gardening correspondent for The Sun), John Clowes (Miracle Gro)

For further information visit the Scotts website link: www.lovethegarden.com/blog/the-miracle-gro-wers-learning-journey-gardens-win-silver-gilt-at-chelsea