Guernsey Press

Local Clematis exhibition ‘a blooming marvellous idea’

IT was a blooming marvellous idea to exhibit the Chelsea Flower Show display here in Guernsey, according to islanders who visited Raymond Evison’s nursery seashore themed clematises yesterday.

Published
Picture by Sophie Rabey. 29-05-20. Raymond Evison Clematis was not able to exhibit at this years Chelsea Flower Show, as the show was cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Instead Raymond has decided to create a display here in Guernsey that will be open to the public this weekend. The Exhibition is free of charge but are going to be collecting donations for The Queens Nurses and The Guernsey Botanical Trust. Generic picture of the seashore scene created from boats and clematis.. (28318255)

The two-day exhibit went so well and so many of the flowers meant for the grand show in London were sold that it also meant the flowers in the actual display went up for sale too, raising several thousands of pounds.

Julie Vidamour had come to see the display with her family and said it was beautiful.

‘It’s a really lovely display and nice to be able to see it here in Guernsey,’ she said.

‘We haven’t been to the Chelsea Flower Show itself, we’ve been to Hampton Court, which has a garden festival, but it’s definitely made us want to go in the future.’

Picture by Sophie Rabey. 29-05-20. Raymond Evison Clematis was not able to exhibit at this years Chelsea Flower Show, as the show was cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Instead Raymond has decided to create a display here in Guernsey that will be open to the public this weekend. The Exhibition is free of charge but are going to be collecting donations for The Queens Nurses and The Guernsey Botanical Trust. Generic picture of the seashore scene created from boats and clematis.. (28318243)

She even bought a couple of the plants, including the Elodi.

Mr Evison himself had been due to travel over to London with 2,500 of the clematis, the flower with which he has won gold 30 times and although the coronavirus put paid to him adding another to his collection this year, he said it had been a wonderful and successful day to be able to present over 1,500 of them here in the island instead.

‘People have really enjoyed coming along and it’s been really nice to see everyone out,’ he said.

Picture by Sophie Rabey. 29-05-20. Raymond Evison Clematis was not able to exhibit at this years Chelsea Flower Show, as the show was cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Instead Raymond has decided to create a display here in Guernsey that will be open to the public this weekend. The Exhibition is free of charge but are going to be collecting donations for The Queens Nurses and The Guernsey Botanical Trust. Generic picture of the seashore scene created from boats and clematis.. (28318251)

‘Many have even said it’s one of the good things that has come out of all this to have the Chelsea Flower Show cancelled so that they were able to see them here in Guernsey as many would not get the chance otherwise.

‘We’ve also raised several thousands of pounds for charity too and that’s great news.’

The two charities to benefit, The Queen’s Nurses and the Guernsey Botanical Trust at the Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden in Saumarez Park, were there on both days over the weekend, with The Queen’s Nurses’ Ellie Phillips stating they had all had a good time.

Picture by Sophie Rabey. 29-05-20. Raymond Evison Clematis was not able to exhibit at this years Chelsea Flower Show, as the show was cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Instead Raymond has decided to create a display here in Guernsey that will be open to the public this weekend. The Exhibition is free of charge but are going to be collecting donations for The Queens Nurses and The Guernsey Botanical Trust. Generic picture of the seashore scene created from boats and clematis.. (28318259)

‘It’s been really busy and such nice weather for it too,’ she said.

‘It just so happened that this was put on at the same time as phase four began meaning that people really wanted to come out and enjoy some normality.

‘Everybody has been really happy and we’ve managed to raise so much.’