RHS honours Cambridge gardener

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has honoured a Cambridge University gardener with its Young Horticulturalist of the Year Award.

Faye Steer beat almost 2,000 others to the title after securing the position of deputy head gardener at the ten-acre gardens of Madingley Hall, which houses the universitys Institute of Continuing Education.

The 28-year-old trained at Pershore College and the universitys Botanic Garden before taking up the post.

Ms Steer is no stranger to the competition, having reached the grand final twice, coming third on one of those occasions.

"I honestly didnt think I stood a chance of winning. The other competitors were so strong. It became really exciting towards the end, with all of us determined to win," she told the RHS.

The final saw Ms Steer compete against seven others in a quick-fire question and answer round as well as three rounds of plant identification tests.

She walked away with a £2,000 grant that will allow her to travel and study plants anywhere in the world.

In other news, the RHS recently revealed that Hoisin, the mother duck who laid her eggs in a hanging basket at Garden Wisley, has successfully led her ducklings to water.