Tuesday, June 14, 2011

RHS Chelsea...SILVER MEDAL!

Well Amanda made that horribly long drive all the way to London to take part in the RHS Chelsea Florist of the Year competition and came home with a silver medal!

The Chelsea flower show is one of the most prestigious flower shows in the world. Amanda was delighted to have even reached the final 16, but to come home with a silver medal just blew her away!

The finalists were asked to design and construct a Jockeys silk, to be worn on race day.

Amanda created a bodice of layered "punched out" aspidistra leaves, side panels of silver leucedenron leaves. A circular panel and a flowing collar were created from woven grasses, built up layers of flower material and foliages. Finishing touches were added with little cut out clovers from Eucalyptus leaves and also a few green diamantes for a bit of sparkle.

" I don't think it will ever really sink in. It was such a long build up to it, from qualifying in October, to receiving the brief at the end of March, then the two days travelling, two days constant work on the piece with only a couple of hours sleep in between" Amanda says " The buzz of the show was amazing, not just in the great pavillion but all over the show ground. I am delighted that I got to see the gardens as well especially Dermots Sky garden..that was fantastic"

Amanda would like to thank everyone who wished her well, sent good luck cards and also for all the support from everyone, she says it was a real boost being all the way down there knowing that everyone was behind her raring her on! The cards she has received since has been astounding..she's running out of room to put them all up!