Lindfield resident Martin Durrant is best known in the village for being the creator of the Bonfie Society’s Guy Fawkes effigy for 5th November. However, Martin has just picked up his 38th Gold Medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.The award was given for an exhibit of ‘a range of orchids’ by McBean’s Orchids based in Cooksbridge, near Lewes. Martin has worked for McBean’s for over 40 years, after training at Plumpton Agricultural College following school. “The flwer show exhibitions are purely publicity really and, these days, we can’t aford too much time working on them,” Martin explains. He is now Nursery Manager at the plant breeding firm and sys in recent years all the work happens in 2-3 weeks. “I was particularly pleased to include some of the original plants that were used in the McBean’s display at the very fist Chelsea Flower Show in this 100th anniversary year.”McBean’s are one of only three companies that took part in the fist Chelsea Flower Show who remain involved today.