Simon White is the sales manager at Peter Beales Roses and has clocked up 33 years with the company this year. So in his own words, 'He now knows a little bit about the subject!'

He started with Peter when the nursery was still based at Swardeston, near Norwich, and  says how proud he is to have worked for the country's, if not the world’s, most admired and leading ‘Rosearian’. All his knowledge he has gained from the late Peter Beales.

His talk ‘Growing for Gold’ covers the two years in the life of a rose. From how the rose is planted, the rootstocks, the grafting and the forcing which brings them into flower for Chelsea and Hampton Court. Then how they arrive at the shows, to building their stand from a bare open site, and in the  end hope to achieve a gold Medal.

He will even let out some trade secrets - as long as no judges are present.