Gardener transports a tiny bit of Devon to Chelsea

A gardener who has taken a little bit of Devon to the heart of London is among those waiting to hear if they have won a medal at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Designers from south-west England hoping to bring a medal home include Stella Exley, from Hare Spring Cottage Plants near Kingsbridge, whose garden features a bank of Devon wildflowers, a knitted cream tea and her own Morris Minor, called Rose.

Winners are due to be announced at the annual event later with gold, silver-gilt, silver and bronze prizes on offer.

Other displays from the south west include a garden designed by Fowey-based Darren Hawkes for the Lady Garden Foundation, a charity which raises awareness of gynaecological cancers.

Exley said the planning for her display had taken 18 months and she started growing the flowers for it back in September and October.

She said the vibe she wanted for her design was inspired by Devon.

"I wanted to create a vintage picnic area in the South Hams, so I've got a nod to a Devon bank with all the wildflowers," she said.

Exley won a gold medal at the show, organised by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), in 2025 and said she would love to win another.

She added: "But I am just so happy with it and I know it is the best one I've ever done and I'm very proud of it."

Hawkes said he wanted his display to help "break down taboos" around gynaecological cancers with plans for the garden starting just over two years ago.

He said a lot had changed from his initial design and required having to think on his feet at times.

"You just try to plan your plant list so that you've got an A-list and you've got back-ups," Hawkes said.

"You've got to be creative on the moment, you can't be too fixed in your ideas."

Hawkes' design has received a lot of attention, including from celebrities such as EastEnders actor Bobby Brazier - whose mother Jade Goody died of cervical cancer - and actress Alex Kingston who underwent womb cancer treatment in 2024.

Other famous faces who have visited the garden include Dame Joanna Lumley and Cherie Blair.

He said winning a medal would be great, but he wanted the message behind the design to be the thing which stood out the most.

"It would be lovely for the charity and the cause, but we have had the most fantastic time building the garden and for me, that's the thing I'll take away the most from it all," Hawkes added.

"The medal would be a really lovely addition but if you've got here, managed to build your garden and been selected by the RHS, you're a winner anyway."

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