Bees were buzzing after their honey broke tradition and took the top prize at a garden centre awards.

Every year to date at the Woodcote Green Horticultural and Cookery show, plants or flowers take the top honour of the weekend and are crowned Best In Show.

But after much deliberation, a taste of Halcyon Honey, produced by Carshalton bee keeper Phillip Shepherd, convinced the panel of nine judges, that his nectar was better than more than 1000 other entries.

It is the first time in the show's four year history that a honey has sweetened up the judges enough to claim victory.

Mr Shepherd, who has been keeping bees for more than 50 years and whose 20 hives in his garden produce as many as 700 jars a year, was delighted to come home with the £350 prize and trophy, but said it was all down to the bees.

He said: "It's nice to get the recognition and to see many plants on display here which my bees have probably pollinated. It's all their work. The taste is different to last year, and it looks a bit darker. It's been a good summer and the bees have been busy. They have it tough in recent years with diseases like viroa, but its good to see them doing well."

Mr Shepherd, 67, said the taste of the honey depended on what the bees have been pollinating, and this year, due to the good whether, there have been a lot more flowers to pollinate.

Phil Barnden, general manager at Woodcote Green, said the judging panel would not be rushed on their decision.

He said: "It was nice to see a different type of winner, and its the first time honey has won. I saw the judges deliberating, and it was getting pretty heated, so I left them to it."

Celebrity TV botanist James Wong, a regular customer at the centre on Woodmansterne Lane, Wallington, presented Mr Shepherd with his award.

 

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