SUE Beesley reckons it is Cheshire's 'great growing land' which sets the county apart when it comes to horticulture.

The former BBC Gardener of the Year from Dutton contributed to a joint display to celebrate Cheshire's Gardens of Distinction in the Year of the English Garden.

Sue also brought 45 varieties of the plants and flowers she sells at Bluebell Cottage Gardens Nursery to create a display for the floral marquee at the RHS Show.

She said: "I’ve always been an amateur gardener and entering and winning the BBC competition in 2007 was the spur for me to turn it into a career.

"I found the nursery for sale, bought it and thought: ‘Which of these 15,000 plants need weeding first’ and moved on from there."

Sue has been an advocate for Cheshire since.

"It’s great growing land for a start when you think of Cheshire potatoes," she added.

"It’s not mainly hills and mountains, we get plenty of rainfall, the soil is great and we get warm breezes from the coast. They are great growing conditions.

"My mum is from Eastbourne and she comes up and is amazed by how green everything is."

That is why Sue thinks it is 'absolutely vital' that the RHS Flower Show comes to the north of England at Tatton Park.

She is also looking forward to the RHS opening its fifth garden in Salford.

The 156-acre site will be named RHS Garden Bridgewater and is set to open in 2019.

"I think that will really put the north west on the map," said Sue.

"All the other regions have all had their RHS gardens for a long time but we have a completely different climate here in the north west.

"So to have our own which will represent our region will pull people in. They’ll then go and visit other gardens in the area and it will really make Cheshire the horticultural centre for the north."