Queen presents Diamond Jubilee Award at Chelsea
26 May 2012
In celebration of the Diamond Jubilee, a new award has been created at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
The Diamond Jubilee Award has been specially designed by Dartington Crystal. It is a large lead crystal presentation (or fruit) bowl with a solid crystal pedestal base. It is hand engraved with the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2012 Iris images, incorporating the Diamond Jubilee celebration and RHS Chelsea Flower Show logos.
The Queen presented HW Hyde & Son with the award for the best exhibit in the Great Pavilion. For this year’s show the company created its first-ever walk-through lily display, consisting of several hundred growing plants arranged in three beds.
Elizabeth Banks, president of the RHS, said: 'This is a prestigious award which I am sure HW Hyde & Son will treasure all the more for being presented with it by The Queen in her Diamond Jubilee year.'
During her visit, the RHS also presented The Queen with a brooch, donated by its designer Kristjan Eyjolfsson, an Icelandic jewellery designer and goldsmith, who uses recycled metals and ethically-sourced stones in his work. The brooch was specially designed and inspired by Iris ungicularis, the flower chosen by the RHS to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee.
The RHS also commissioned a large floral bedding scheme designed by St Helier which welcomed The Queen to the show. She also saw three floral corgis on the St Helier Jersey garden, made by Anna Brook at iapetus gallery, and the RHS has added two new Royal Autographs to its collection, one signed jointly by The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, and one signed by The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.
The 99th RHS Chelsea Flower Show takes place in the grounds of the Royal Hospital, from Tuesday 22 May – Saturday 26 May 2012.