Royal Chelsea date for Jenny

Florist Jenny Murphy, of Dunshaughlin's Flowers by Moira, has a royal appointment next month - at the Chelsea Flower Show. This year is a special one in Britain as Queen Elizabeth marks her diamond jubilee of the throne, and Jenny Murphy is representing Ireland in a competition to design and construct an arrangement called 'Diamonds are Forever', a chandelier to be hung the Queen's jubilee dinner. Jenny was selected to represent all of Ireland in this year's RHS Chelsea Florist of the Year competition at the Chelsea Flower Show, after winning first place in the regional heat of the competition in Greenmount College, Antrim. Her winning regional display was a formal dining table arrangement for UK competitors at the Olympic Games, the theme set down by the BFA. This is the fourth year of the British Florist Association's prestigious floristry competition, and the first year a regional qualifier has been held in Northern Ireland. Jenny's regional entry was awarded the highest score, securing her place in the final in May. Jenny, who is the current Irish Interflora Florist of the Year, says she's thrilled to have the opportunity to compete at the Chelsea Flower Show. "I have always wanted to attend Chelsea but never have so to go as a competitor in such a prestigious competition is a dream come true," she says. Jenny started entering competitions in 2008 and won the Irish Interflora Florist Of The Year and then went on to Manchester to compete against 10 British florists, coming second in the final. In 2001, she competed in the senior level of the Interflora Florist of the Year competition and won the Irish heats and at the UK Grand Final at the RHS Tatton Park in July, came second, when she was up against the 'Best of British', 10 florists, one of which was the RHS Chelsea Florist Of The Year, and another who came seventh in the world earlier that year. "It was serious competition, so I was so thrilled to be placed so high and to get such great feedback from the judges," she says. She has worked for the past six years with her mother at Flowers by Moira, which is celebrating 30 years in business this year.