In the year of its 200th anniversary, the Royal Horticultural Society has brought home a vintage harvest. Judges at this week’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show have described the competition as the stiffest in decades. The most fiercely contested award of all is that of Best Show Garden. This year it goes to Hortus Conclusus, designed by Christopher Bradley-Hole for Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al-Nahyan.

The RHS said yesterday: “Judges were unanimously impressed with Hortus Conclusus. The planting in particular is near-perfect. The hard and soft landscaping is well-balanced, fulfilling the brief perfectly. Overall the unity of the garden was excellent.”

This is the seventh consecutive year of Chelsea garden-making for the Sheikh, who is Ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the United Arab Emirates. While he has been awarded Gold Medals throughout that period, this year’s is his first exhibit to be named as Best Show Garden.

Chelsea Gold Medal Winners

Gold Medals were awarded to exhibitors in the following categories at the 2004 RHS Chelsea Flower Show:

Show Gardens: Japanese Garden Society; Laurent-Perrier (UK) Ltd; Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (Best Show Garden); Tourism New Zealand.

Chic Gardens: Johnston Bourne Partnership (Best Chic Garden); Philip Nash Design.

Great Pavilion (nurseries and floral exhibits): Allwoods; David Austin Roses Ltd; Avon Bulbs Ltd; Steven Bailey Ltd; Barbados Horticultural Society; Blackmore & Langdon Ltd; Bloms Bulbs; Downderry Nursery; Edrom Nursery; Raymond Evison; Fernatix; Fir Trees Pelargonium Nursery; Goldbrook Plants; Grenada; Hampshire Carnivorous Plants; Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants; Harts Nursery; Herons Bonsai Ltd; Hillier Nurseries Ltd; Ikebana of Kensington & Chelsea; Jekka's Herb Farm; Kelways Ltd; Kirstenbosch, South Africa; Knoll Gardens; Matthewman Sweet Peas; McBeans Ltd; Medwyns of Anglesey (President’s Award); NAFAS Enterprises Ltd; National Chrysanthemum Society; Norfields; Norman Bonsai; Notcutts Garden Centres & Mattocks Roses; Orchid Society of Great Britain; P W Plants; Park Green Nurseries; Pops Plants Auriculas; Primarosa Flowers Ltd; Rickards Hardy Ferns Ltd; Romantic Garden Nursery; Roualeyn Nursery; South West Carnivorous Plants; Southend-on-Sea Borough Council; Southfield Nurseries; Toobees Exotics; Trevena Cross Nurseries; UK Horticulture; Walkers Bulbs @ Taylors; Eric Young Orchid Foundation.

Floral Arrangement (Session 1): Otterbourne Flower & Garden Club; Perth Flower Club (Best Flower Arrangement); Catharine Watson.

Floristry (Session 1): Cherri-Burrelle; Corrines (Best Floristry Exhibit); The Tomlinson Flower Co.

Lifelong Learning in the Garden: British Mycological Society; HDRA - The Organic Organisation.

Other Awards: Best City Garden: Yano Tea (Greenland-jp); Best Courtyard Garden: Brinsbury Campus, Chichester College.