Mary Richardson and Caroline Troop were handed a Gold award in the Best Floral Arrangement category.

But then judges deemed their entry – called Garden Party – was the finest they'd seen in the week's second session and awarded it the Best In Show title.

Garden Party – which mixed terracotta, brown, peach, lemon and cream colours, topped off with 20 highly-sought-after David Austin red roses – saw the ladies burn the midnight oil.

They had to work through the night last Wednesday to create their masterpiece, finally being ushered away from their display at 6am, for a few nervous hours' sleep before returning to discover the good news - that they had caught the judges' eyes.

And while the duo were creating their display, Caroline's husband Rodney, nicknamed Barrow Boy for the week, was running to and from the car to bring them the flowers.

They were one of five entries deemed worthy of Gold standard, and the best arrangement in the second session.

The week's competition is cut into two sessions to allow more entries.
"It doesn't get bigger than the Chelsea Flower show," said the Woodhall club's secretary Sue Summers.

"The display was perfect. If you'd have taken a single flower out you would have noticed – it was that good."

Caroline has previously won a silver award at the Chelsea Flower Show.