Cheshire Bonsai Society has been officially recognised alongside some of the UK’s very best horticulturalists at a glitzy award ceremony in London.
The society was presented with a series of RHS awards earlier this month, to add to the collection of awards it scooped up at The RHS Flower Show Tatton Park in 2022.
Members of the group – who meet monthly in Little Budworth – attend the flower show at Tatton Park each year to showcase their trees.
Last year they took three tokonoma (recess) displays, 10 display poles and 25 bonsai trees – along with a collection of accent plants.
Their display caught the eye of not only public but also the RHS judges – who awarded the society its 13th gold medal as well as the overall prize for best exhibit in the Floral Marquee.
Cheshire Bonsai Society was then invited to attend The RHS People Awards in central London which took place earlier this month.
It proved to be a worthwhile trip – as they scooped the prestigious Holford Medal, which is awarded to the best exhibit of plants and/or flowers staged during the year by an amateur or group of amateurs at one of the RHS shows.
It also confirmed Cheshire Bonsai Society’s ability to punch well above its weight, rivalling even the largest national societies.
And the accolades didn’t stop there.
Shortly after their first win, Cheshire Bonsai Society members learned they had been nominated for the Lawrence Medal.
This prize is awarded for the best exhibit shown during the year, with nominees selected from exhibitors who’ve won best in show at an RHS event throughout that year.
It’s the highest accolade an exhibitor can receive for their display at an RHS show and – following an anxious wait – it was announced that this year the prize has been awarded to Cheshire Bonsai Society.
The award was presented by acclaimed garden designer James Alexander-Sinclair (who was responsible for the anxious wait) and it elevates the society’s display at RHS Tatton last year as the best of the year across the whole country.
Cheshire Bonsai Society membership secretary Matt Wood said: “This is an enormous achievement for any exhibitor, but for a society of amateurs it is almost unheard of.
“After 22 years of exhibiting at RHS Flower Show Tatton, the Cheshire Bonsai Society can now add it to their existing 13 Gold Medals, three Silver-Gilt Medals, six Silver Medals, two Best in Plant Societies Marquee awards and one Best in Floral Marquee award.”
There’s been no word so far on who’s got to make the arrangements for an enlarged trophy cabinet – but it’s only a matter of time!
Matt added: “Combined with all of the society’s previous achievements, these latest additions have massively raised the profile of this little Cheshire society, founded in 1987.
“It was a combination of hard work and beautiful trees provided by numerous members of the society – namely Simon Jones, Robert Antonio, Frances Feldwick, Gerald Sutton, Elizabeth Scott and myself.”
The society has now set its sights on winning even more gold medals – this time from The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023!
Cheshire Bonsai Society
Cheshire Bonsai Society meets on the third Monday of each month at The Little Budworth Village Hall. Meetings start at 7.30pm.
Further details including fees and directions are available at: www.cheshirebonsaisociety.co.uk
In March there’s a workshop meeting, where members and visitors can work on their own trees with expert guidance on hand.
In April the group will welcome guest speaker Duncan Hield who will be giving a talk on Taxus (Yew) as bonsai.
In May there is a talk by Cheshire Bonsai Society’s resident expert Simon Jones on Junipers as bonsai.
