A GARDEN centre company, with a branch in Teignbridge, has been awarded a Gold Medal at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Blue Diamond Garden Centres, which owns Fermoys at Ipplepen, won the coveted medal for its immersive, walkthrough experience in the Grand Pavilion.

This comes only a day after being presented with an Award for ‘Tree of the Show’.

Alan Roper, Managing Director for Blue Diamond Garden Centres said: ‘Blue Diamond’s exhibit includes plants grown by Blue Diamond’s nurseries and which are readily available in its garden centres.

'The exhibit also includes a showcase area of never-before-seen plants which are new and/or exclusive to Blue Diamond Garden Centres, including two shortlisted for The Plant of the Year Award.

‘One needs a great team to enable a vision, and we are immensely proud and buzzing from winning our first Gold at Chelsea.

'The enjoyment we all receive from participating in this amazing, best in the World Flower Show is worth its weight in gold.’

In a surprise presentation, Alan was also awarded with ‘Best Tree of the Show’ for its Acer palmatum 'Shishigashira'.

Acer palmatum 'Shishigashira' is a Japanese Maple, with unusual dark green crinkled leaves that grow in tufts on the branches.

Its foliage gives the impression of a lion’s mane, hence its nickname Lion’s Head Maple.

Jill Kerr, group relationship manager for Blue Diamond Garden Centres said: ‘To be awarded a Gold Medal at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, following the Award for Best Tree of the Show, really is the icing on the cake for all involved.

‘After months of planning, to see the outcome and to receive wonderful feedback from the public, is incredibly rewarding.

‘We hope to welcome visitors to our Blue Diamond Garden Centres to enable them to recreate a little of our Chelsea magic in their own gardens.’

Fermoys is one of 50 Blue Diamond centres in the UK.