Herm’s winter graft pays off at Floral Guernsey
AFTER taking on all the feedback they were given last year, Herm’s floral team made improvements and took the top prize at the Floral Guernsey awards.
The event’s most prestigious trophy – the Lady Dorey trophy – offers the winner the chance to compete nationally, with judging commencing next summer.
After winning their gold award in the community competition, Herm went on to take the overall crown and will take over from Sark, which is this year’s Britain in Bloom entry for the Bailiwick.
‘It is absolutely brilliant,’ said Herm’s head gardener, Liam Gaughan.
‘We’ve taken on board everything the judges have said last year, all of their constructive criticism and advice.
‘Then we have worked so hard throughout winter to be able to achieve what we have gone to now.
‘I am a firm believer that the more graft you put in during the winter months then the better the summertime is going to be. And then the weather has been brilliant, hasn’t it? The perfect gardening weather.’
Mr Gaughan used to be a footballer, but after a career stunted by injury he was forced to look elsewhere. His uncle had also been a footballer and upon retiring had established his own landscape gardening business, inspiring Mr Gaughan to take up the trade.
‘I started to garden and I fell in love with it.
‘I saw my paradise island in Herm and I applied for the job thinking nothing more of it, then out of the blue I was offered the role and now 18 months later here we are with the our goal achieved.
‘Now it’s on for another hard year of work and hopefully we can go even further.’
Lauren France is the other catalyst behind positive change in Herm and according to Ms France, she and Liam make the perfect team.
Ms France also won the award for best environment for her use of Herm’s natural resources.
She is a forager and makes herbal teas and presses flowers as well as a variety of other herbalism.
‘I am very excited and still on cloud nine,’ she said.
‘It’s a great achievement, the whole community works so hard, they are so passionate.
‘It is so nice to do the work too. It was also lovely going to the awards night and meeting everyone else from around the parishes and douzaines – you get a sense of the whole community.
‘It is also so exciting to be moving on to the Britain in Bloom competition.
‘I have a background in foraging and it felt so good to be awarded the trophy for my project over on Herm.
‘I made each judge a pressed flower picture and I make herbal teas from plants such as calengula, lemon balm, rosemary and raspberry leaf – these are all grown locally.’
