Tom blooms thanks to Percy

Champion gardener Tom Hodgkins always does his blooming best – it's the least you'd expect from a former student of gardening guru Percy Thrower.

And Tom's efforts have just won him first prize at the biggest chrysanthemum show in the country, which was held at Stafford.

His Primrose John Hughes variety won the "best vase of in-curves" prize, an achievement he puts down to good stock, regular feeding, a lot of hard work and the magic of Percy.

Tom, now 64, of Wheaton Aston, trained as a gardener at Rodbaston College in Penkridge where he met the much loved broadcaster.

"To be taught by the great man himself was a privilege. He was so down-to-earth, the nicest chap you could hope to meet and a great inspiration to us students," he said. Of his win at the National Chrysanthemum Society Annual Show, he said: "I've won a few nationals but it's nice to win the ones close to home, and I had a lot of competition."

Tom, who organises the City of Wolverhampton Horticultural Show, has won more than 10,000 prizes for his flowers and vegetables over the years.

"Most people take up gardening in retirement but I started in 1979. I once entered three shows in the same day."

Tom's prize-winning blooms are now brightening up his home in Pinfold Lane.