Congratulations to Billy Alexander who this week won Silver Gilt Medal for his showcase of rare and exotic ferns grown at Kells Bay House and Gardens in Co Kerry.
Kells Bay House and Gardens owner and fern-lover Billy Alexander has been chosen to be one of the exhibitors at the world’s most prestigious flower show, the ‘Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show’ which will be held from the 22nd to 26th May 2018. Thanks to the generous sponsorship by Wilde Aparthotels by Staycity, the garden will be known as ‘The Wilde Atlantic Garden’.
Billy is eager to show the world an example of his uniquely curated, densely matured and extensive tree-fern forest. Commenting on this, Billy said: “I chose the tree-fern theme for this years’ show because I want to portray the importance of their preservation around the globe.”
Billy went on to say: “We are honoured to be chosen to exhibit at Chelsea this year. My aim is to showcase the magnificence and beauty of ferns from around the globe. The exhibit will revolve around the exotic, natural environment of the fern and their role in the evolution of plants.”
However, this is not Billy’s first appearance at the renowned flower show. He supplied plants to Paul Martin’s Gold medal-winning Mindful Living garden at Chelsea in 2016.
Originally developed by the Blennerhasset family in the 19th Century, Kells Bay’s 44-acres of wildly overgrown Robinsonian* heritage gardens were recovered and the ongoing restoration was started by Billy and his wife Penn in 2006. It is now a true piece of heaven on earth, containing some of the rarest and most exotic plant species in the world.
Kells Bay Gardens has a truly unique localised climate which enables the growth of many exotic plant species, such as tree-ferns, to thrive. It also functions as a plant nursery and supplies a range of expertly nurtured and extremely rare species.
List of specimens featuring in Billy Alexander’s garden for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2018
Video of Billys Pre-Show Preparations
