Generous gardeners could boost a charity’s coffers when a giant chess set goes under the hammer.
The centre of a display in the Chelsea Flower Show Floral Marquee East by Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants of Whitchurch, Hampshire, features a full chess set with figures carved out of Westonbirt oak. However, these aren’t traditional pawns, knights and rooks, but vegetable and fruit representations, which took woodsculptor Dave Johnson three months to carve.
Owner of the nursery, Rob Hardy, said he wanted to auction the figures for the Greenfingers Appeal, horticulture’s version of Comic Relief, which was set-up by e-garden’s Richard Jackson. This year the Association of Children’s Hospices will benefit.
Rob said, "We would have liked to auction the pieces off at Chelsea, but we left it too late, so now our plan is to do it at Gardeners’ World Live next month at Birmingham’s NEC.
"We are aiming to raise over £4,300, which would cover Dave Johnson’s costs. Anything above this will go to the appeal. I think the set is probably worth around £12,000."
He added that Ground Force siren Charlie Dimmock had agreed to sign the pieces. "I think this set will appeal to anyone who has got money and likes playing chess," said Rob.
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Photo copyright judywhite/GardenPhotos.com
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