LOCAL nurseries were among around 90 to receive medals from the Royal Horticultural Society for their exhibits.

As well as commending show gardens at Malvern's Spring Gardening Show, the RHS awards gold, silver and bronze medals to individual growers and nurseries who exhibit top displays.

One of the gold medal winners was Rushfields of Ledbury. The Ross Road company was rewarded for its spring perennials.

The medal came hot on the heels of another gold which the company won at an RHS event in Vincent Square, London, just the week before.

"We often win gold medals," said Janet Sirman who was busy selling some of the plants to eager punters.

"I think people like us because we're not like a chain garden centre. We can get hold of the more unusual perennials."

Another local firm doing a roaring trade was the Guarlford-based Grange Farm Nursery.

It has been attending the show for the past 17 years and picked up its latest silver medal for its hardy trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants and alpines.

"This is obviously our local show so it's essential we come. But even so we love coming because everyone here is so friendly you can't help but enjoy yourself," said the nursery's owner Carol Nicholls.

"We get busier every year and this time it's been frantic. It's absolutely phenomenal how many customers we get here."

Not every award-winner came from around Malvern and Ledbury, though. One gold medal winner travelled from Holland to take part.

Peter Warmenhoven was selling his Royal Dutch Amaryllis, as well as proudly showing off his gold medal award for his Hippeastrum.

"This is my sixth or seventh year here and I love the shows in England. We don't have this in Holland. We only have one show of this size every year," said Mr Warmenhoven, who brought his 95-year-old company from Hillegom, near Amsterdam.

"The English people are so interested in gardening and flowers that they ask so many good questions. And I'm learning from them too - still people can tell me things that I've never heard before and I like that."