ANOTHER gold at Hampton Court Flower Show has brought the total number of gold medals at Royal Horticultural Society shows to 73 for Bowden Hostas at Sticklepath.

This is the fifth consecutive year the company has won gold at Hampton Court and it mirrors its success at the Chelsea Flower Show where Bowdens won two gold medals each in 2012 and 2013, one for its hostas and one for ferns.

Tim Penrose, who took over the nursery in 2004 from his parents-in-law Ann and Roger Bowden, said each year was a new challenge.

'The pressure gets greater every year to stay at the top,' said Tim. 'It's still a thrill to win but it is also a relief. These medals are the horticultural Oscars and it is not easy to attain them.

'We have to apply within two weeks for next year's show and then it all starts again. Our success is a lot to do with the people we employ. When we took over Rickards Hardy Ferns we also employed the man behind the business Martin Rickard who is a legend in the industry.

'Martin won ten golds in a row at Chelsea, he won the Tudor Rose for the best stand at Hampton Court and has written five books on ferns. There's nothing that he doesn't know about ferns and he is great to take to the shows where he can answer any questions.'

The former funeral director and restaurant owner said he was a perfectionist and so he was always striving for more so could not rule out any more expansion in the future.

He said the most sales he had ever taken from Hampton Court Flower Show was £21,000.

LEFT: George Feltrup, who built the display, and Lesley Work at Hampton?Court Flower Show.