Suffolk designer up for Olympic glory

A SUFFOLK woman is celebrating after her design for a garden that will sit within the new Olympic Park was shortlisted down to the final six of a competition.

Emma Graham, from Shotley Gate, entered the Royal Horticultural Society's (RHS) Olympic Park Great British Garden Competition.

And on Wednesday morning, the mother-of-two was amazed to discover that she had been shortlisted down to the final six.

The six finalists' designs will be posted on the RHS website on Monday where members of the public will be able to choose the two winners.

Mrs Graham, who works at Ipswich firm Thompson & Morgan as a horticultural project supervisor, said: “I put my design on paper and put it in the post and thought nothing of it until I got a phone call to say that I had been selected down to the final six.

“I thought it was a windup because I never thought in a million years that I would get this far. I am quite surprised.”

Adding to Mrs Graham's delight is the fact that her great-grandfather Arthur Robertson won a gold medal in the three-mile team race and a silver in the steeplechase event in the 1908 Olympics held in London.

“My great-grandfather won gold and silver for Britain in 1908 which was also in London which is why I entered the competition,” she said.

“I have since been in touch with my family and gone through lots more of the history of my great-grandfather.”

Mrs Graham said her garden is British-themed and includes a pond area, sundial and lawn area as well as vibrant-coloured shrubs.

And she is now urging as many people as possible to vote for her on the RHS website before the winner is announced next month.

“I do not know what I am up against, I have not seen the others but to get this far is absolutely amazing,” she said. “It will be great if I can go that bit further but if it does not happen it does not happen.”

To vote for Mrs Graham visit www.rhs.org.uk