Jillian goes for gold at Chelsea again
Blairgowrie florist hopes to bring back more medals
A Blairgowrie florist is hoping she can bring a medal back for the town when she competes at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show.
Jillian Page, who works at Something Special, has won four medals - including a gold - on the two occasions she’s entered the premier league RHS competition in the past.
Now three years since her last appearance in London, Jillian won the Scottish heats held in Glasgow on March 12.
That means the 47-year-old goes on to be Scotland’s only representative of the 16 qualifying for the Florist of the Year final on May 21.
Her brief is to make a freestanding floral structure for a wedding, with the venue being the Tate Modern gallery.
The theme for this year at Chelsea is ‘Summer Skies’ and the florists have been asked to create a large kite in flowers and foliage.
“It’s going to be quite substantial, more than a metre high and nearly 2m in length,” she explained. “I’ve made my sketches and its going to take six to seven weeks to get the prep work done.
“My kite will be based on a cross of copper piping, with chicken wire, decorative wire and wool as a backing. The floral bit will get added on the day, when I have from 6pm to 10pm to set it up.”
The nail-biting judging is the following day on May 22, when the press and the royals are the only ones allowed in.
“Part of the reason I’m entering again was in the past, I have been so well supported by the town,” explained Jillian.
“Social media meant it felt like everybody in Blairgowrie was getting behind me in 2014. So I’m going to try desperately hard, not just for me, but to get a medal for the Blairgowie community.”
I’m going to try desperately hard to get a medal for the Blairgowrie community Florist Jillian