SA’s Silver Gilt at the Chelsea Flower Show

This morning, when the team from South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI-Kirstenbosch) at the Chelsea Flower Show heard the judges’ decision, they knew that they had beaten all the odds. This year, the exhibit was awarded a Silver Gilt for its 40th exhibit at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show (CFS) to the delight of designers David Davidson and Ray Hudson and the team of SANBI staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly to achieve the desired result.

There were some tense moments when it looked like the stand may not be completed in the allotted time. On Sunday morning, with hours to go before the cut off time, only part of the consignment had been released from customs, and then not the feature plants.
But it was a story of camaraderie once it became clear that the whole consignment was not going to get there. Volunteer Jenny Badenhorst (landscaper from Johannesburg) and Jo Lankester walked the show to see who had the appropriate plants and with warmth and generosity other exhibitors rallied around offering whatever was required to fill the gaps.

While still calling the exhibit “a celebration of 40 years” and despite not being able to showcase the feature plants, the generosity of the other exhibitors made up for some of the disappointment. Plants were donated from Kientzler in Germany, and other contributions came from, amongst others, Prince Harry’s Lesotho garden which donated kniphofias and aloes; Australia donated proteas, aloes, polygala… and the use of their forklift to assist. France donated juncea and grasses.

“It was a race against time” said David Davidson, designer, “we advised the judges of our predicament and these factors were taken into account when judging.”

When Monday morning dawns, the judges make their way around the more than 550 stands that make up the show. It’s an onerous task selecting and debating the awards and there is no hint as to what the various exhibitors have achieved. Then it is celebrity time as London’s rich and famous wander the show stopping here and there for a word and a photograph. Finally it is time for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her entourage to tour the show before this preview day comes to an end and exhibitors are left to wait anxiously for results.

But it is not until Tuesday morning (May 19) – opening day – that the awards are revealed and it is a mad dash to get in to see whether (or not) dreams have come true.

This is the scene every year for the team who put together our exhibit at this ‘Olympics’ of flower shows and, in a year that has seen Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden win several major awards, it was with great joy and jubilation that the SANBI-Kirstenbosch 40th entry should notch up a Silver Gilt – the same as they achieved in 2014.

This year’s display included a retrospective tableaux of memorable exhibits, as well as a display of ‘Plants South Africa Gave the World’ and a named flower specimen display. A special tribute to the work of British floral designer Pam Simcock, who was responsible for the design and creation of the Kirstenbosch-South Africa exhibits staged at Chelsea on behalf of the South African government for the first 18 years of our participation at the show was also included.

This 40th display was a treasure trove of information and colour and a trip down memory lane for those who are regular visitors and contributors to the show.

SANBI CEO Tanya Abrahamse had high praise for the team; “Hearty congratulations! A Silver Gilt is a fitting tribute to the design skill and the dedicated work of the team that put this exhibit together. The opportunity to showcase different aspects of our rich and unique biodiversity on this international platform is one that we value highly. Winning this Silver Gilt is success not only for Kirstenbosch and SANBI but for the country as a whole. Many visitors to South Africa travel as a result of seeing our exhibit at Chelsea and we welcome the opportunity of showing off our beautiful country through its ten botanical gardens.”

Once again the important role that botanical gardens play in contributing to the country’s tourism statistics is underscored. As a snapshot to the country’s botanical heritage it is these gardens coupled with the wide variety of unusual attractions that bring many visitors to the country. The Kirstenbosch Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway, which was declared the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa (MBOISA) at Design Indaba Expo 2015, is one such attraction that has increased visitorship to Kirstenbosch.

“This year’s exhibit showed themes and iconic elements from seven earlier gold award exhibits, recreated to commemorate this special anniversary. We are showing the botanical and cultural diversity of a range of geographic locations, botanical gardens and biomes of South Africa as well as the section on Plants South Africa Gave the World’.” Said designer David Davidson, “We are delighted that this show of diversity has achieved a Silver Gilt and that the team have been reward for all their hard work.”

A popular destination, the SANBI-Kirstenbosch stand attracts many of the more than 150 000 visitors to the Chelsea Flower Show and provides a showcase for the country. Kirstenbosch is one of the most important tourist attractions in South Africa and the tourism footprint in conservation areas and botanical gardens is what generates the income to support the sustainability of these assets.

Volunteers who join the designers and SANBI representatives Ada van Reenen (team co-ordinator), Nomama May (Kirstenbosch horticulturist) and Gcina Allen Nene (Curator, KwaZulu-Natal National Botanical Garden) and Lihle Dlamini ( SANBI Communications Director) worked hard to achieve the 34th Gold medal.

Source: South Africa in Bloom notches up Silver Gilt at the Chelsea Flower Show – MyPR