Medwyn Williams

MBE Mbe may refer to: * Mbé, a town in the Republic of the Congo * Mbe Mountains Community Forest, in Nigeria * Mbe language, a language of Nigeria * Mbe' language, language of Cameroon * ''mbe'', ISO 639 code for the extinct Molala language Molal ...

FNVS is a

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vegetable Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems, ...

gardener A gardener is someone who practices gardening, either professionally or as a hobby. Description A gardener is any person involved in gardening, arguably the oldest occupation, from the hobbyist in a residential garden, the home-owner suppleme ...

, 11 times winner of the gold medal at the

Chelsea Flower Show The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, formally known as the ''Great Spring Show'',Phil Clayton, ''The Great Temple Show'' in ''The Garden'' 2008, p.452, The Royal Horticultural Society is a garden show held for five days in May by the Royal Horticultural ...

. Born ''Richard Medwyn Williams'' in the village of Paradwys, the son of a farm worker and his family moved to

Llangristiolus Llangristiolus is a village and community in the middle of Anglesey, Wales, southwest of Llangefni, and is named after Saint Cristiolus. The River Cefni flows through the village. The village is within a mile of the A5 and A55 roads. The vil ...

when he was a year old. Aged 8, his father helped him grow

radish The radish (''Raphanus raphanistrum'' subsp. ''sativus'') is an Eating, edible root vegetable of the family Brassicaceae that was domesticated in Asia prior to Roman Empire, Roman times. Radishes are grown and consumed throughout the world, be ...

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and cress in a one-yard plot. After this he helped his father grow various vegetables for garden shows in the

Isle of Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island, ...

, where his father was known for growing long carrots. Williams became a council official, and in his late 20s entered a "six of a kind" novice class at the Anglesey County Show in 1969. He then joined the National Vegetable Society at the Shrewsbury Flower Show, which led to his competing at most of the National Vegetable Society Championships. Invited by the Chief Executive of the

Royal Welsh Show The Royal Welsh Show ( cy, Sioe Frenhinol Cymru) is organised by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, which was formed in 1904. It takes place in July of each year, at Llanelwedd, near Builth Wells, in Powys, Mid Wales. The first show was hel ...

to stage a 15 ft exhibit there, Williams and his father won the large gold medal six years in a row. After presenting for S4C at the Chelsea Flower Show, Williams decided that he wanted to show at Chelsea. Having to prove himself to the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

as being of sufficient quality, he was asked to stage his first RHS exhibit at the

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Palace Flower Show. Williams and his father won a gold medal on their first attempt, a cut glass vase for the best new competitor, and the Tudor Rose Award which is presented annually to the RHS by the Guild of embroiderers at Hampton Court Palace for the best display at Hampton Court. Asked the following year, 1996, to exhibit at the Chelsea Flower Show, he grew his exhibits in the research establishment of the

University of Wales, Bangor Bangor University ( cy, Prifysgol Bangor) is a Public university, public university in Bangor, Gwynedd, Bangor, Wales. It received its Royal charter, Royal Charter in 1885 and was one of the founding institutions of the federal University of Wales ...

at Penyffridd, where he rents an 80 ft x 60 ft heated greenhouse, a totally cold 120 x 70 ft one, and has use of a small cold store to hold some vegetables back. Williams won 10 consecutive annual Gold medals at Chelsea, an accomplishment that had never been done before with vegetables. He won the President’s Award, 9 Gordon Lennox Trophies for the best vegetable of the year, and 2 Lawrence medals for the Best Horticultural display of the year. After retiring from competition in 2005 to concentrate on his developing seed business, Williams has displayed internationally, including in

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in April 2006, and lectured, including in

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

. After his son and grandson joined the seed business in 2009, Williams displayed at the 2010 Chelsea Flower Show, again winning the President’s Award.

References

External links

Seed sales websiteTips at BBC's Gardening website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Medwyn Year of birth missing (living people) Living people People from Anglesey Welsh gardeners Members of the Order of the British Empire