GREENFINGERED Paul Holt is celebrating after scooping a top award at a world famous flower show.

Paul Holt, 48, from Tiptree, is the creative director for popular N1 garden centre, which won the Best Houseplant Studio with its display at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Part of the first ever dedicated houseplant exhibition at the show, the N1 studio claimed the top spot with its autumn themed studio.

It captured the season’s colours with a focus on bright oranges, yellows, and a host of pumpkins.

Of Paul’s love of pumpkins and all things nature, he said: “It all started in Tiptree.”

He had been raised in the village since he was three-years-old.

One Halloween he had been searching for pumpkins to carve.

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This is when he discovered a special farm which grew pumpkins and all kinds of unusual vegetables, at the back of Grove Road.

“William [the owner] showed me the pumpkin field, and I was in awe of them,” Paul recalled

Growing up in Tiptree the creative director was totally surrounded by nature.

And he fondly remembers spending most of his pay from the farm, where he soon started a part-time job, at Perrywood Garden Centre in the village.

He started working at N1 garden centre after moving to London about 20 years ago.

The centre was asked last year to exhibit at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

When the show was moved from May to September, he decided to use his long love of pumpkins for the studio.

Paul added: “The studio shows visitors how to create a stunning feature using something you might already have at home.

“By displaying exciting houseplants alongside a decorative tray or glass storage jar, and a pop of colour or two, you can bring some style to even the smallest spaces.”

To help shoppers recreate the gold medal display at their own home the garden centre has launched its brand new online shop.