Chelsea flower show coup for Leamington inspires children’s competition

Leamington floral designer Sarah Horne gives some tips to Kingsley School pupil Madeleine Glasspool.

BID Leamington has launched a competition for children aged up to 12 in Leamington to design their own dream garden on a plate sized 12 ins in diameter or less - taking their town as inspiration for their creation.

Entrants will be invited to display their entries at the Leamington Dream Garden competition in the Royal Priors Shopping Centre on February 22, when the mini gardens will be judged by Leamington floral designer Sarah Horne and garden designer Debbie Cooke.

The two designers have created their own design - that reflects Leamington’s historic association with beautiful gardens and horticulture, its Regency heritage, river and lakes - which has been accepted for the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show this year. It will then be given a permanent home in the Pump Room Gardens, which celebrate their 200th anniversary in 2014.

BID Leamington director Stephanie Kerr and floral designer Sarah Horne show a miniature garden to Arnold Lodge School pupils Arjan Padda and Phoebe Goodfellow.

Sarah, who owns Sarah Horne Flowers and has won several gold medals at Chelsea, said: “I was about five years old when I entered my first ‘Garden on a Plate’ competition and after working so hard on my design with my mum, we accidently missed the judging!

“I hope the youngsters entering this competition enjoy it as much as I did as a child and you never know, like me, it could lead to one of them getting a taste for becoming a floral designer and going on to Chelsea themselves.”

There are categories for under-sevens and seven-to-12-year-olds. Prizes include gardening sets, vouchers for toys and tickets to Spa Centre shows.

For full details and to enter, call 470634, email [email protected] or visit www.bloomingleamington.com