The thrill of South Africa winning a Gold Medal at the Chelsea Flower Show has inspired the creation of a full-sized replica of the winning display at Stanford. The exhibit, which opened to the public from 21 September to 6 October 2024, showcased the stunning proteas and fynbos that captured the prestigious awards at the show.

Our residents at The Somerset in Somerset West, could not let this opportunity pass, and they decided to see the exhibition for themselves.

One of our residents at The Somerset – Lorraine Nuttall, wrote:

“The Somerset bus departed at 08:00 with nine residents on board, and our driver – Gerrit, was driving for the first time. The pleasant drive to Stanford took an hour and 30 minutes. Upon arrival, Gerrit dropped us off on the main street and went to park the bus. With tickets purchased, we entered an experience that astounded us all.  The highlight was having our photo taken with Leon Klug, who designed the entire floral display.

The group split into smaller groups and meandered through the main street, enjoying a market, interesting stands, and shops.  The atmosphere was electric, filled with floral displays in stores. Lunch was at The Stanford Kitchen, where we thoroughly enjoyed the handmade pizzas and salads.

Before departing for the trip home, we had to stop to buy ice cream. We decided to travel on the coastal road, which was a pleasant drive with breathtaking views of the coastline and sea.

These outings are a true experience of getting to know one another on a different social level. There were lots of laughs and stories shared. We thank Gerrit for a superb drive and for assisting us all.“