A FAMILY-RUN nursery near Leominster has journeyed to Chelsea this week where it has released a new plant which is raising money for Hereford Cathedral.

T3 Plants – Wall End Nursery, based in Stoke Prior, specialises in and has the national collection of abutilons. It is believed to be the largest collection in the UK and Europe.

It is run by Leila Jackson and her father, Eric Turner, who heard the news earlier this week that they had won a silver-gilt medal for their ambitious Mayan pyramid exhibition. They were just one point off a gold.

Speaking ahead of the event, Mrs Jackson, a mother-of-two, said: “Last year we went small and simple and we got a silver which we were really pleased with as we are rather a small Herefordshire nursery and it was such a big deal.

“We upped the ante this year with our application and promised to erect a Mayan pyramid in the Grand Floral Marquee.

“The RHS liked the idea so much they offered us a place on their innovations programme and the mentorship of a designer. So all very exciting for a little nursery.

“As soon as we were accepted the realisation that we were doing it began to hit. I started thinking about how we would make artificial stone, and lots of it, and about the infrastructure.

“You think ‘it’s ok, I’ve got six months and it will be fine’ and then suddenly it’s here.

“It has been a great project. My parents have been very involved as well as members of the community.

“It’s a lovely community feel which is what our nursery is all about.”

While at Chelsea, Mrs Jackson will be releasing a new plant called the Hereford Cathedral Belle in association with the Cathedral Perpetual Trust and the High Sheriff’s office.

A percentage of every sale of the plant will go to the trust.

Then, upon her return to the county, she will reassemble the exhibition in the south transept of the Cathedral for a talk entitled From Chelsea to Hereford on June 1.

“The talk at the Cathedral will really be quite anecdotal about the pitfalls and stresses and then also the glamour that follows,” she said.

Tickets for the talk, followed by a reception in College Hall, cost £25 while tickets for the talk only are £5.

The exhibit will remain in place until June 2.