FOR a woman who bred one of the hottest chillies in the world and thinks nothing of growing plants in old boots Joy Michaud was as obvious choice for a Royal Horticultural Society innovative award.
The West Bexington grower, who runs Sea Spring Seeds with husband Michael, has just won a silver medal at RHS flower show in Cardiff for her innovative 'table top' gardening stand.
Mrs Michaud said she was was one of 12 nurseries around the country chosen to take part in the innovative award.
She said: "The RHS for its big shows like Hampton Court, Chelsea, Tatton Park and Cardiff is trying to get exhibitors to be a little bit more imaginative.
"Although people make exhibits really beautiful they are not necessarily imaginative.
"This is their second year of doing it. They pick exhibitors and they gave 12 nurseries all around the country a one-day workshop in London and another in Birmingham for all exhibitors.
"We were each given a designer. I had Kate Gould, a Chelsea gold winning garden designer and we worked together to come up with something innovative and different to exhibit.
"Because what I was doing was salads and vegetables I did table top gardening. I literally bought tables from the dump and my plan was to show what people who are financially stretched or who have no garden or a busy lifestyle, no experience or children, could do. Those were the five categories I thought about and I just wanted to show them that they can do it, there's no excuse not to at least grow your own salads.
"I bought tables, trudged them up to Cardiff and I got some picture frames and grew some in that and they looked very nice.
"I was very pleased with the way it looked and quite proud.
"I got silver but was only one mark down from gold.
"I was quite disappointed because I think it deserved gold but a slug appeared overnight and walked along the black material and marked it! But I was only one mark off and it was fun to do."
Joy Michaud with one of her famous Naga chilli plants
Mrs Michaud said she really wanted to inspire people and her exhibit 'Tap Top Gardening - the Art of the Possible' said it all.
"Some of the people take it very seriously and they do produce the most wonderful exhibits but you look at them and think they are way beyond you and you wouldn't even attempt them yourself.
"I was trying to get it to where people would look and say 'I can do that' and that's exactly what I want."
The only limit is to your imagination!
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