Cheshire Bonsai growers win gold medal at Tatton RHS Flower Show

Cheshire Bonsai Society won a coveted gold medal.

Growers celebrated phenomenal success last year after being hailed the best RHS exhibitor in the country, receiving two prestigious honours.

Freya Rathmill at the Cheshire Bonsai Society stand (Image: Newsquest)

The society won the Holford Medal, awarded to the best exhibit of plants and/or flowers staged during the year by amateurs.

They were also named as winners of the Lawrence Medal, which is given to the best RHS display of the year.

This week’s medal brings their tally of gold RHS medals to 14.

Bob Antonio from Cheshire Bonsai Society (Image: Newsquest)

Matt Woods, shows co-ordinator, said: “We are very happy to have won gold at Tatton.

“A lot of work goes on in the run up to the show.

“Lots of coordination within the society to organise staffing and trees, but we always make it.

“A big thanks to our build team and members who manned the stand during the week. We couldn’t do without them.”

Their show stand featured trees owned and grown by members of the society, set out using traditional Japanese methods of displaying trees.

This is the last time the RHS Flower Show will run at Tatton Park as an annual event.

The show will relocate to Wentworth Woodhouse in Sheffield next year and to Sandringham in Norfolk in 2026.

It is set to return to Tatton in 2027 and from then on at three yearly intervals.

The decision has disappointed many exhibitors.

Matt said: “We’re gutted about the end of RHS Tatton’s annual show.

“For a quarter of a century it has been an important part of horticulture in the North West and a vital opportunity for societies like ours.

“We can only hope that Cheshire East Council and the Tatton Park team are considering their own independent show.

“Our plans are to move to two shows a year.

“A small stand with a much smaller display and a greater focus on education at the Arley Hall Garden Festival and a more elaborate display at Shrewsbury Flower Show.

“We will be putting on a simple show at Shrewsbury on August 9 and 10.”