Chelsea Flower Show success for Shannon

A green-fingered Ballymena woman has struck bronze at the world famous Chelsea Flower Show with a floral creation on a carnival theme.
Shannon Ormandy from Ballymena proudly displays the bronze medal she won at the Chelsea Flower Show. (Submitted Picture)Shannon Ormandy from Ballymena proudly displays the bronze medal she won at the Chelsea Flower Show. (Submitted Picture)
Shannon Ormandy from Ballymena proudly displays the bronze medal she won at the Chelsea Flower Show. (Submitted Picture)

Florist Shannon Ormandy won a bronze medal in the Young Florist of the Year category at the globally renowned event in London on Tuesday (May 24).

The 20-year-old told the Ballymena Times she’s “over the moon” with the success of her design particularly as she created it in just 12 hours as transportation problems meant her only receiving her flowers on the morning of the set up day.

Shannon said: “I am over the moon with this as I travelled from Ballymena and with after having obstacle after obstacle to get over.

Shannon Ormandy's Brazilian carnival headdress which saw her win a bronze medal at the world famous Chelsea Flower Show. (Submitted Picture).Shannon Ormandy's Brazilian carnival headdress which saw her win a bronze medal at the world famous Chelsea Flower Show. (Submitted Picture).
Shannon Ormandy's Brazilian carnival headdress which saw her win a bronze medal at the world famous Chelsea Flower Show. (Submitted Picture).

“I started my design at 7am and finished at 7pm. Every other girl in the competition had most likely been working on their design for the eight weeks (of the brief) but because of me being from Northern Ireland I cannot do it till I get there.

“I still can’t believe I got the bronze,” said Shannon who was a finalist in the same category last year.

With her brief “A Brazilian carnival headdress to be worn” Shannon based her creation around the jungle/wildlife of Brazil and her success confirmed that it certainly impressed the judges.

A former student of Slemish College and Greenmount’s Antrim Campus, Shannon works as a wedding florist.

Shannon Ormandy's Brazilian carnival headdress which saw her win a bronze medal at the world famous Chelsea Flower Show. (Submitted Picture).Shannon Ormandy's Brazilian carnival headdress which saw her win a bronze medal at the world famous Chelsea Flower Show. (Submitted Picture).
Shannon Ormandy's Brazilian carnival headdress which saw her win a bronze medal at the world famous Chelsea Flower Show. (Submitted Picture).

She revealed that she developed an early interest in flowers and that when aged just eight she assisted her dad Gary, who works in flower transportation, and mum Theresa to create the flowers for the wedding of a family friend.