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28
May
Harrogate florist wins third gold medal at RHS Chelsea Flower Show
A Harrogate florist has been awarded its third gold medal at this year’s Royal Horticultural Society's (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show.
Helen James Flowers, based on Station Parade, received the accolade for the RHS Chelsea Florist of the Year category.
It is the fifth year the company has been invited to compete at the show.
Laura Pannitt, daughter of owner Helen James, created the design and represented the business at the show.
She told the Stray Ferret:
“This year was the first time I’ve submitted a design and exhibited at Chelsea.
"The RHS usually release a schedule at the end of the previous year or beginning of the year. You then submit your design with an explanation of how it would be executed and what flowers would be used, then you’re selected from there.”
Ms James said her daughter was one of just 10 lucky florists selected to compete in the category.
Helen James Flowers Chelsea Flower Show 2024
The category brief was ‘colour’, Ms Pannitt said, adding she felt inspired to create something “bold” and “energetic”.
She said:
“I wanted to represent something like the cycle of nature.
“The base structure was neutral, a little like a seed first being sowed, then it becomes this colourful and exciting display. It's a bit like the seed then blossoming into a plant or flower.”
The display, which had to sit on a 40cm x 40xcm plinth, featured a range of fresh flowers, including gloriosa, knipofia, scabious, clematis, dahlias and more.
The base structure took around a week to build, Ms Panitt said, adding the flower arrangement then took another 7 hours to put together.
She added:
“I was so excited but it’s also so nerve-wracking. You know you’re down there with the best of the best.
“I’d love to do it again though. Hopefully, if we get selected again, I can.”
Helen and Laura are only the second mother-daughter team to win gold medals at the show, Ms James said.
Helen James Flowers also struck gold at the show in 2019 and 2023. It was awarded a silver gilt medal in 2022.
The floristry firm was also named RHS Chelsea Florist of the Year in 2019.
Lara Thorpe of London-based Wild at Heart Flowers won the RHS Chelsea Florist of the Year award this year.
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