AN EXBOURNE landscaper is celebrating after project managing two gold medal winning Chelsea Flower Show gardens.

It brings the tally of Chelsea golds for Peter Harket of PH Landscaping to 12, the latest being just as special as the first seven years ago.

The two gardens Peter was involved with this year were the Laurent Perrier Bi-Centenery Garden, designed by Arne Maynard and described as a 'timeless, ornamental gardener's garden', and the Daily Telegraph garden by Sarah Price, based on the beauty and romance of the wild areas of the British countryside particularly Dartmoor and North Wales.

Peter, who project managed the gardens for Crocus, said he began working on these gardens in November but after months of planning there was only 19 days to erect the gardens once on site at the Chelsea Flower Show.

'The build was more difficult this time as we had torrential rain and we were ankle deep in mud,' he said.

'It was very difficult to put the foundations in.

'The Daily Telegraph garden included dry meadows and boggy areas and was particularly challenging.

'It had boulders and each rock was cut off site to specific dimensions and then fitted together like a jigsaw.

'The more that can be done off site and assembled when there the better when it comes to Chelsea.'

Peter, who manages larger gardens and estates all over the South West and South East, said he never became blasé about winning gold medals at Chelsea.

'I am still hugely motivated by trying to win golds because it is not easy and each year the standard improves. You never get the chance to rest on your laurels.

'Chelsea is like a landscaper's Olympics and you do always want to do the best you can.

'It's absolutely fantastic to get a medal, especially a gold.'