A FLORIST is disappointed that the Royal Horticultural Society has 'rested' the floristry competition at Chelsea. Double gold medal winner, Sheila Betts, was looking forward to this year's challenge at the flower show. But she got a letter from the RHS to say that, owing to a large number of applications from fashion houses and new international exhibitors, the competition she had entered for many years was replaced by 'celebrity florists'. Mrs Betts said the letter stated that public interest in floristry competitions was declining. Florists like Sheila Betts say they would challenge that, based on the interest shown both locally and by the amount of visitors to the show who queue each year to enter the floristry marquee. "It surely cannot be lack of interest on the florists' behalf as to be invited to exhibit at Chelsea is the highest accolade one can achieve in the floristry world," said Mrs Betts. The Times questions the anomaly of encouraging a select band of 'Vogue-favoured' designers to prance around the floral design marquee with designers (flower arrangers are apparently passé) making displays to set off expensive handbags and silk stilettos. The newspaper asks why, when space is at a premium, the show committee is setting its sights on fashion on the catwalk rather than encouraging people to come and see plants, gardens and flowers. The RHS said the show has to evolve to reflect modern trends. Speaking from the Chelsea showground, an RHS spokesman confirmed that a review of traditional competitions, in which individual florists compete, had shown that the small displays produced were no longer attractive to visitors. The competitions have therefore been dropped in favour of big floristry features, located across the site, which were proving "hugely popular". They had been crafted by international and celebrity florists, fashion houses and professional teams working together to produce "fantastic displays". "There is no question that floristry has gone from the show, the format has simply changed," she said. The spokesman added that floristry remains a key part of all its shows. For the first time the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park in Cheshire (July 23 to 27) is to play host to the British Florist Association's marquee where regional finalists compete for the WorldSkills UK Floristry Final and the Teleflorist of the Year. Along with Chelsea it is one of 17 RHS shows annually, each with a huge and thriving floristry element but needing to reflect modern trends. The Chelsea changes are "bad timing" for independent florists like Sheila Betts. Having exhibited at Chelsea every year since 1996 and having brought home medals, Mrs Betts says that dropping the floristry category has come as "an enormous disappointment" to her, her staff and customers. She, like others, has written to the RHS expressing that. Having won her second gold medal two years ago, bronze last year and with a second silver-gilt already, Mrs Betts had set her hopes on silver this year to make up a second medal set. "I wanted to be able to leave a set to each of my children, but the opportunity has been snatched from me," she said. So as not to disappoint her customers who, she says, have made it clear that they will miss the annual window display showing her Chelsea exhibit, the decision has been taken to create a special Chelsea window, in aid of The Chase Children's Hospice. "If we can't go to Chelsea we will bring a touch of Chelsea to Alton," says Mrs Betts who has designed a display to give any exhibitor a run for their money. Sheila Betts' High Street shop window seeks to encapsulate the spirit of the show – the gardens, the water features, the shrubs and, of course, the flowers – and it is here, in Alton!
