Seeded paper publisher makes sustainable award finals at world-famous flower show
Hannah Marchant has been cracking open the champers as the designer and publisher celebrates making the finals of the RHS Chelsea Sustainable Product Of The Year award.
The judges at the annual Chelsea Flower Show have been impressed by her seeded handmade-paper products of cards, calendars and stationery which she prints herself and are all plantable and set to produce wildflowers, veggies and herbs leaving no waste.
And it’s all down to three years of hard work getting her sustainable brand known by running a stall at the world-famous event held in the Royal Hospital Grounds in London – with the Princess of Wales a very happy recipient of a card at last year’s show.
“I’m up against four other fabulous sustainable businesses,” Hannah told PG Buzz. “I’ll have to present in front of a panel of judges and talk about my seeded paper goods on the Sunday before Chelsea opens for press day – eek, more public speaking!
“Chelsea flower show is one of the hardest weeks I work. The months of prep, build beforehand and the week itself is just madness. Luckily with the support of friends and family I’m able to survive and run on the buzz that is Chelsea flower show! But this year will have a little je ne sais quoi as I’m a finalist so crack open that Bolli!”
This will be Hannah’s fourth appearance at the show, which runs from Tuesday to Saturday, 21-25 May, plus the press day on the Monday, but she’s already been working on it for months, getting her cards, stationery sets and note packs ready, along with special Chelsea cards and she’s expanded this year with her plantable calendars, that are up for the award, along with Chelsea colouring-in books.
“I exhibited at RHS Tatton Park in Cheshire way back in 2017 as my grandma lives close,” Hannah explained. “I thought I could see her and, of course, stay with her for free – ever the business woman! I think she enjoyed it too sending me off with a packed lunch every day.
“It was a great show so I applied for the following year at Tatton and after that wanted to apply for the top RHS show, which is Chelsea. From memory I don’t think you can do Chelsea without doing another RHS show first.
“It’s really hard to get in – I guess it’s the most prestigious flower show in the world. However, my application was for the 2020 Chelsea show and a certain pandemic put stop to that!”
When the show returned in September 2021, Hannah was in with a tiny 3x3m square stand where she had to follow the strict rules of no artificial plants or gnomes, there must be a carpet, storage has to be built in to the stand with no stock boxes ion display and pricing must be really discreet.
“You have to apply and submit your stand design, the stand is judged and if you don’t do very well you’ll receive a letter to say you’re not allowed back,” Hannah explained, and was thrilled when she had a “fantastic” show and was welcomed back for 2022, 2023, and again this year, with her stand design passing muster each time, and the preparations beginning months in advance with the furniture build, printing and packing stock, and preparing gift bags.
Before the members’ and public days, the press and celebrities have the chance to look around on the opening Monday, then the royals attend in the afternoon and, since Prince Philip apparently once asked why all the trade stands were covered up one year, exhibitors are now expected to be present.
Hannah laughed: “I love press day as you get to celeb spot and have a good nosey at the beautiful gardens. My stand-out year was 2022 when I saw the late Queen, I was really close to her and a very surreal moment, I got four gold stars for my stand, and was interviewed live on BBC Somerset!
“Last year Kate, Princess Of Wales, attended, and took a turn down Eastern Avenue so I knew she was going to walk past my stand and wanted to get a photo of her in front of it. I was poised opposite my stand when my amazing friend Aimee Facey, who very kindly gives up her hard-earned holiday to help me for the week stopped the princess and gave her one of my cards. They even had a little chat about the card which was amazing!”
Having made it through to the Sustainable Product finals, this could be an even better year for Hannah as the winner will be announced on press day following the presentations in front of a three-judge panel the day before, and all the submissions will be exhibited within the Great Pavilion throughout the show.
She’s due to be first up on the presentations running order with her plantable calendar, the four other very different finalists are POTR with an origami pot, Twool’s sustainable garden net, Lindum Turf’s species rich turf, and Sneeboer Trading’s handspade.
Hannah added: “It’s 8am to 8pm every day apart from Saturday where the show closes at 5.30pm – I’m sure my fellow publishers can relate to exhibiting at shows, how hard standing on your feet all day can be but 12 hours is tough going, plus there’s travel either side.
“I’m really excited to be back but panic will set in soon. It’s only seven-odd weeks away!”
