Heritage tomatoes used on the stand

JERSEY’S first stand at the Chelsea Flower Show devoted entirely to its produce was a feast of edible colour and texture.

Earning gold for this entry was no mean achievement for the Jersey Farmers’ Union as these top awards are not handed out lightly. Everything had to be perfect from the manner of presentation and quality of the vegetables and herbs to the labelling of every variety.

Although the artistic, visual impact of the display was down to the working party that travelled to London, it is just a part of the story. There was also involvement from a cross-section of Islanders.

Television coverage of the stand throughout this week was extensive, including filming on Thursday of a tasting of freshly cooked Jersey Royals. This footage will be used for a BBC programme on plants that have made a difference to our lives.

It remains to be seen whether the team will do it again. As co-ordinator Graeme Le Marquand said, it takes at least a year to plan and prepare for a display of this magnitude and a completely different design would be needed.

• Words and pictures: Collette Bisson

• Picture sales: Click here