A touch of Bermuda at Chelsea Flower Show
Award winning flower-arranger Nicky Gurret is heading to the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show with honeymooners in mind.Ms Gurret’s has designed a garden called ‘A Bermuda Honeymoon Garden’ and it has the support of both the Department of Tourism and the Department of Parks.In past shows, she has won first place in flower arranging at the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS) National Show in Bournemouth, in the UK, and at the Chelsea Flower Show she was awarded a bronze medal in 2005, a silver in 2007, and a silver gilt in 2009. She also won the Bermuda NAFAS cup at the Annual Exhibition and has exhibited at the World Flower Show.When she last exhibited at the Chelsea Flower Show, she noticed that the Cayman Islands and other Caribbean nations had displays and she felt that Bermuda should be represented.“The Caymans has been outshining Bermuda in tourism and in terms of business and I saw them at the Chelsea Flower Show and they had so much interest.“Cayman had an underwater scene with two female scuba divers with lots of breasts and that was all over the media. And I was adamant that Bermuda should be there.“So that is why I campaigned to Parks and Tourism and they have relented to partner. I think Bermuda is ready to try it.“It is so popular and I think they have 150,000 visitors and they are mostly high-end people, and Bermuda is expensive, so you have to cater to people who can afford to come here.”Many of the Caribbean nations exhibit in an area called the Grand Pavilion. “Grenada, Jamaica and the Bahamas always do a big exhibit,” she said.The Parks Department was always enthusiastic and said they could do something with Ms Gurret this year, but that they couldn’t do it alone, because of the cost of pitching an exhibit that is 18ft by 15ft.Department of Parks then looked into the shipping costs of sending the exhibit to England. The Department of Tourism is paying for half of the exhibit and they have produced a postcard for the show.“So everyone that comes by we will give them a postcard and tell them to come to Bermuda. We have a pink beach at one end, the moon gate, and we will be taking some plants up, like the mystery rose and the Easter lilies will be forced to bloom to put along the path.“You will see different types of gardens that you see in Bermuda, such as a coastal with Spanish bayonets, the pink beach will have Bermuda roses, Bermuda Easter lilies, a vegetable garden with some cassava, Bermuda onion, but most of the product will come from Holland, but about six people from the Department of Parks will come over with me with fresh specimens from Bermuda.”At Department of Parks she has worked with Jemeka Kelly and landscape architecture student Lucy Hollis, who was a summer intern.“I wanted to put in everything that Bermuda is, [but] I didn’t want to be too modern for our first year or do anything way out.”The exhibit will be built by a landscape company that constructed Malaysia’s award winning exhibit last year.During press day at the Chelsea Flower Show, they often have an international celebrity, but this year Bermuda will have a honeymoon/wedding couple for the photographers and other media.“That is the hope and on press day we will have a gold leaf cake and Bermuda postcards. They will get to see a snapshot of Bermuda. The press in England will come to see the show will see in a snap shot of Bermuda.”For more information and tickets visit http://www.rhs.org.uk/Shows-Events/RHS-CHelsea-Flower-Show/2010The Chelsea Flower Show opens on Bermuda Day, May 24 and runs until May 28.