There was a golden champagne celebration in London, England,
when it was announced that Barbados had again won a gold award at the
Royal Horticultural Society's annual Chelsea Flower Show.
The team toasted Barbados' 12th top award in the 18 years it has been
competing in this highly promoted showcase of flower arrangements from
several countries of the world.
The Barbados arrangement, Moonlight At 13 Degrees North, was a variety
of local flowers against a backdrop of a tropical moonlit night. Among
the predominant flowers were an assortment of various sizes and colours
of anthuriums and heliconias which stood out among hundreds of other arrangements
on the grounds of Royal Chelsea Hospital. Members
of the successful gold award-winning flower-arranging team from Barbados
were Jean Robinson, Mona Walker, Jennifer Weetch and Deanna Clarke. They
were assisted by Hetty Atkinson and Audrey Thomas. The group especially
thanked British Airways for shipping 57 boxes of flowers to London from
Barbados free of cost.
Another Caribbean gold award went to Grenada which, in spite of the devastation
caused by Hurricane Ivan ten months ago, managed to assemble an outstanding
arrangement of Grenadian blooms, including unique use of its famous nutmeg
shells.
Their arrangement was appropriately called Ivan and depicted the roofless
St George's Cathedral as it starkly stood
among other ruins of the capital after the passage of the hurricane.
Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago won bronzes.
A second Barbados presentation by the Flower Arrangers of Barbados won
a bronze award. Members of that group were Monica Procope, Carol-ann Branker
and Pansy Griffith.
Members
of the successful gold award-winning flower-arranging team from Barbados
were Jean Robinson, Mona Walker, Jennifer Weetch and Deanna Clarke. They
were assisted by Hetty Atkinson and Audrey Thomas. The group especially
thanked British Airways for shipping 57 boxes of flowers to London from
Barbados free of cost. 
