SHE has done it again - a top gardener from Whitchurch has won her 20th gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Rosy Hardy was celebrating on Tuesday after discovering her Great Pavilion entry had impressed the judges yet again, ensuring that she retains the title of most successful female hardy perennial exhibitor at the famous show.

Speaking to The Gazette shortly after finding out she had won the gold, a delighted Rosy said: "It's brilliant! You always feel nervous. It's not given, you earn your gold medal."

The 53-year-old, who runs Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants, in Whitchurch, created an 88 square metre garden this year which features various hardy perennials.

Rosy said: "It's probably bigger than some people's gardens. We started putting the plants in on Thursday and were finished by Sunday. Preparation goes on when we start getting plants together in January."

She praised the team at her nursery for all their hard work, and said: "I'm the end product of putting it together and making it look pretty."

Rosy said she has no plans to retire from exhibiting at the show just yet, adding: "I do enjoy it, even though it's a lot of pressure. It's that love hate relationship."

Speaking of some of the challenges she had faced, she said: "Every year is different. This year is one of those years when Chelsea is at the earliest it can be because it does move dates.

"It means that some things that you need won't be ready yet. We had that dreadful spell two weeks before where we baking hot and then freezing at night and that doesn't help the plant material. But we managed."

Read more news from the Chelsea Flower Show:

Garden designer from Cole Henley wins two gold medals

Prince Harry visits garden prepared at Hook nursery