Peter Styles, landscape and garden designer and Chelsea Bronze Medallist, entertained a packed hall of local gardeners with his tales of what was involved when designing and building a show garden for the Chelsea Flower Show. From the planning and acquisition of the materials and sponsorships, which are needed because of the cost of preparation of the area within such a short time frame, and putting it back to what it was at the end of the Show, the worry that everything would come together at the right time for the show, the last minute checking that everything was in place, the "arguments" with fellow competitors who think you might be encroaching on their space, the disappointment when a sponsor pulls out at the last minute and the elation when getting a medal. He even brought the medal along which he passed round the audience. Then there were the stories of meeting royalty and celebrities when they have their media day plus the interaction with the general public. Also the tips on how to survive the very long days of the Show. The audience were enthralled with the stories and very much appreciated the talk. The Chairman, Tony Birch, thanked Peter for his presentation.

If you wish to see samples of Peter's creativity then go to the Derwen Garden Centre at Guilsfield where he was responsible for the design of their themed gardens.