Victoria Medal of Honour for plantsman

Top Kingswinford plantsman John Massey has been awarded a much-coveted Victoria Medal of Honour for his valuable contribution to plantbreeding - the country's premier award in horticulture.

John has been given the VMH gold medal by the Royal Horticultural Society and received it at Hampton Court from the Countess of Wessex for his excellent work on plants, and especially his work on his nursery's hellebores.

Tomorrow visitors will be able to see some of the plants which have made John one of the country's most respected growers, including hydrangeas which helped John and staff at Ashwood Nurseries to win a 49th successive gold medals at RHS shows last month.

"I am very proud to receive this honour, but accepted it not just for me but for the nursery and the wonderful staff who have helped to create all these successes," he said.

The award has come after years of wowing the visitors to RHS shows - including two at Chelsea Flower Show _ with a range of Lewisias, cyclamen, hepaticas, salvias, hydrangeas and the amazing hellebores which are now world famous.

He joins a hugely impressive list of 63 other VHM holders - including Albrighton's David Austin and Prince Charles - which is restricted to that number because it reflects the years of Queen Victoria's long reign.

The garden at his home behind the nursery is much acclaimed. It was described as the "best loved" garden visited by TV gardener Carol Klein and is used to raise huge funds for local charities, this year Compton Hospice and the Mary Stevens Hospice.

"The garden is looking well again, even though this has been the most difficult of years, with the very cold winter,the heat of last month and the rainy periods of recent weeks," he said. "It has been a series of extremes."

But the garden is in fine fettle with the hydrangeas blooming in borders packed with fine trees, shrubs and perennials, as well as the South African hillside with agapanthus, kniphofias and eucomis, and a gorgeous mini-garden of succulents.

One of the most colourful areas is the high colour border, in memory of master gardener and former VHM holder Christopher Lloyd,with bananas, cannas and plectranus.

Popular

Also open this weekend is the Four Seasons garden at Buchanan Road, Walsall where there are 200 acers in mini-gardens and themed areas, including a jungle area, oriental pagoda and water features. The garden, created by Tony and Marie Newton, is one of the most popular in the area.

In Stafford Colin and Fiona Horwath open their colourful garden at St John's Road. The plant-packed garden around the Victorian house has been created with organic principles and has many features.

In Astley Town House there are two-and-a-half acres of multi-interest garden which has sub-tropical plant, a jungle garden with bananas, palms and other rare and exotic plantings. The garden of Tim and Lesley Smith also has a stumpery, woodland area, a tree-top lodge and a grotto.