THE BARBADOS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY paid a fitting tribute to Barbados’ Golden Jubilee of Independence by winning their 28th gold medal at the renowned Chelsea Flower Show in the United Kingdom (UK) last month. Through their exhibit, This Place Barbados, they demonstrated that excellence can be achieved as long as there’s total commitment.
For those who think that because of our small size we can’t compete on the world stage, attention is drawn to Keith Miller’s report in the last MIDWEEK NATION.
“It is difficult for anybody who has never been to the Chelsea Flower Show to fully appreciate just how significant it is to actually win any kind of medal, not just a gold. This is a competition that attracts the absolute best of the best in the horticultural world and has established the very highest set of standards . . . . In short, winning a medal at Chelsea is regarded as the ultimate accolade.”
With the extended drought experienced over the last few months, there was some apprehension about the quantity and quality of flowers and foliage which would be available for the exhibit. But amazingly, due to the innovation and dedication of growers, the quality was extremely good.
But the average person isn’t aware of the effort that’s necessary to achieve this success. They say a chain is only as strong as its weakest link . . . and there are several links between a plant in a garden in Barbados and the Barbados exhibit at Chelsea. So all these links must be strong if the final product is to meet the stringent standards of the judges.
To this end, the society hosted a workshop to reiterate to flower and foliage suppliers, the team of helpers preparing and packing the material locally and the team building the exhibit at Chelsea, the various pitfalls which could undermine the quality of the product. The workshop drew on past experiences at the show and recommended solutions to challenges.
It was noted that a winning exhibit required adequate financing; an attractive design; a talented, hardworking team on site; good supply of quality materials; a good backup team preparing materials; proper handling, packing and shipping of materials; timely receipt of materials; and proper handling of materials on site.
Bearing in mind that the flowers and foliage are about a week old when the exhibit is judged, careful attention had to be paid to maintaining quality after harvest. But you must start with good quality in the field or greenhouse, so growing conditions are important to produce disease-free plants that will stand up after harvest.
Flowers and foliage must be picked at the correct stage of maturity and only perfect specimens shipped, as doing otherwise is to waste money in freight. Plants must be well watered just before harvest to ensure they are turgid, since water will be lost after harvest.
Damage to flowers must be avoided during harvest and throughout cleaning and packing or this will show up as blemishes later. Only sanitised containers and clean water must be used for storing material since dirty water can cause blockages in stems, prevent water uptake and cause subsequent wilting. Material must be packed so that it will be cushioned from damage during transport to the UK.
Of course the temperature to which material is exposed is important to its shelf life. Too hot and too cold temperatures are equally damaging. So exposure to the sun locally, or too cold temperatures en route or on arrival in the UK, can cause irreparable damage.
All material must be treated so as to meet quarantine requirements in both countries.
Our exhibit depicted the attractions Barbados has to offer – like Harrison’s Cave, Andromeda, Flower Forest, Orchid World and Hunte’s Gardens, sugar and rum production, wayside vendors, beaches and the fishing industry.
But it’s clear that a team effort was essential to our success. Kudos must be given to the society’s members and friends, corporate sponsors, the Barbados Government through Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. and all those who worked tirelessly to achieve the successful result.
The success at Chelsea, that of our athletes and other sportspersons, entertainers and those in literary areas have all brought international acclaim to Barbados and should be motivation for young entrepreneurs to reject mediocrity and strive for excellence, remembering that “ability is what you are capable of doing but attitude determines how well you do it” (Lou Holtz).
• Dr Frances Chandler is a former Independent senator. Email: fchandler@caribsurf.com
