Barbados has won gold at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for the 24t time.
The bold design, under the theme “Bajans Love to Play”, pays homage to the country’s sports and pastimes like cricket, road tennis, playing mas at Crop Over and draughts.
The exhibit was designed to reflect Bajans’ love for fun and lightheartedness, using ginger lilies, orchids, anthuriums, heliconias, and ornamental pineapples in dazzling combinations of texture and colour.
“We selected each plant not just for its beauty, but for its ability to tell a story,” said Jennifer Weetch, President of the Barbados Horticultural Society. “The bold reds of the ginger represent passion for cricket and road tennis, while playful orchids echo the rhythm and joy of Mas.”
In addition to the blooms, BHS welcomed Barbadian-born ambassador and former England cricketer, Gladstone Small, as their celebrity on the stand for Media Day. Known for his role in England’s Ashes win in 1986-87, Small drew crowds and the press with his charm and pride, proudly standing for Barbados on this global stage.
Meanwhile Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.’s UK Director Elan Mottley hailed the achievement.
“The RHS Chelsea Flower Show provides a platform to showcase not only Barbados’ rich cultural heritage and natural beauty, but also the vibrant spirit of our people… This continued success is a testament to [BHS’s] dedication, creativity, and enduring excellence,” Mottley said. (PR/SAT)
