34th Chelsea gold for Guernsey clematis grower
Horticulturist Raymond Evison paid tribute to his Guernsey Clematis Nursery team as they once again celebrated Chelsea gold.
He discovered he had won his 34th gold medal at the world’s most-famous flower show yesterday morning.
‘This exhibit is one of the very best we have put on,’ said Mr Evison.
‘With more flowers and more colour than last year and more than 2,300 plants on display.’
‘Every one you win is special – so much goes into it, both from the team here and in Guernsey.’
The award came as the company Mr Evison founded in the island in 1984 marked its 40th anniversary. And Mr Evison believed that at least 20 of the gold medals he had received had come since he moved to the island.
In that time the company has produced more than 200 new varieties of clematis and shipped 70m. plants to all corners of the globe.
This year they were exhibiting two new varieties, a large purple flowering plant called ‘Lindsay’, and ‘Guernsey Flute’ a clematis with large white star-shaped flower .
‘Our new flowers have gone down really well, everyone is amazed at the size of the flowers on the Guernsey Flutes and impressed with the amount of flowers on the "Lindsay" variety,’ he said.
‘We will now see how they are going to sell, but they have certainly attracted a lot of attention from the nursery and wholesale trade.’
He said a special accolade should go to his team as this year was the first they had used peat-free compost to produce the plants.
Mr Evison, who was awarded a CBE in this year’s New Year’s Honours list, has previously advised the Royal household on the growing of clematis and his plants can be seen at Highgrove, Balmoral and Buckingham Palace.
And his display was subject to Royal attention again this year, with visits from Sarah Fergurson, the Duchess of York and her daughter Princess Beatrice, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
He also took the chance speak to King Charles when looking round another part of the show on Monday evening.
‘We had a quick catch up on things horticultural,’ said Mr Evison.
‘It was really good to see him looking so well.’
Even though Mr Evison celebrates his 80th birthday this year, it is unlikely the 34th gold medal will be his last.
‘We will start thinking about next year when we return to Guernsey, and by the end of June will start potting flowers in preparation,’ he said.
‘But before that we will have to a little rest as the show has been quite exhausting.’
Blue Diamond, the Guernsey-headquartered garden group, which with the National Trust had created the Octavia Hill Garden to celebrate the legacy of the Trust's co-founder Octavia Hill, was awarded a silver-gilt medal.
