A local Devon nursery has outdone itself this year, achieving gold medals at three RHS flower shows. 

Bowdens Nursery in Sticklepath, run by Tim and Ruth Penrose, won an RHS gold medal at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, followed by the top gold prize at the Hampton Court Flower Show and Tatton Park Flower Show for its display of hostas, commonly known as plantain lilies.

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This latest round of success brings the nursery’s total number of Chelsea Flower Show gold medals to 13 since Tim and Ruth took over the business in 2004. Together with the other businesses they have acquired since 2004, the couple have now earned a total of 38 Chelsea RHS gold medals.

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The Chelsea Flower Show display took four full days to assemble and showcased the hostas in a woodland setting with naturalistic ponds.

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The Penroses are truly a family of horticulturalists as Ruth and Tim’s daughter, Felicity, also achieved success at Hampton Court and Tatton Park, winning two silver gilt medals for her fern displays. This follows her academic success, having just graduated from Aberystwyth University with a first in mathematics.

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Bowdens Nursery is open until the end of September from Monday to Saturday between 10 am and 4 pm.