THE 2009 Malvern Spring Gardening Show has turned into a record breaker. Royal Horticultural Society judges gave exhibitors the highest number of medals in the event’s 24 year history.

Bob Sweet, head of show’s development for the RHS, said: “Although at 43 the total of golds is one down from last year’s peak of 44, the overall figure is the highest ever. This is because this year there were fewer ‘no awards’ as the overall quality is so high.”

Covering the gold, silver and bronze categories, judges handed out 135 awards, one more than last year, the previous record.

“Over the years, the standard of exhibits at Malvern has improved dramatically,” Mr Sweet said.

“For example, 15 years ago there were only 82 awards across all the categories and ten years ago there were only 16 golds compared with 43 this year.”

However a word of caution was sounded by Nick Vincent, chief executive of the Three Counties Agricultural Society, which co-organises the event on the society’s showground in conjunction with the RHS. “Will the standard get ever higher and even more awards be presented?” he asked.

“Maybe, but I don’t think it would be appropriate to turn the show into some sort of GCSE exam. We want exhibitors to have fun here.”

Mr Vincent praised the exhibitors for their “inspirational, idiosyncratic and imaginative” approach and said that the record number of show gardens, the introduction of seven children’s gardens and several educational initiatives had helped turn the 2009 event into the best ever.

Centrepiece of the 30 acre event is the Malvern Floral Marquee, where 100 of the country’s top nurseries entered a stunning array of blooms and foliage. The best in show award went to Fernatix of Stoke Ash in Suffolk for a display of ferns, while a special creative award was given to Peter Smith of Kenton, near Exeter for an exhibit of alstroemerias.

There was a trio of gold medals for Worcestershire exhibitors. They were Grange Farm Nursery of Guarlford, near Malvern for a display of wisteria, shrubs and trees, Owens Bros of Bevere for an exhibit of conifers and The Cottage Herbery at Knighton on Teme for a collection of peat free herbs.

A silver-gilt medal went to Fuchsiavale Nurseries of Torton, near Kidderminster for a display of fuchsias, while Bouts Cottage Nurseries of Inkberrow, Cooks Garden Centre of Stourport on Severn, Cotswold Garden Flowers of Badsey, near Evesham and P and J Plants of Madley in Herefordshire all won silver medals.

More than 90,000 visitors are expected at the show before it closes on Sunday evening. Tonight Gardener’s World will be devoting an hour-long programme to it on BBC2 from 8pm.