It was a blooming good month for Hoyland Plant Centre.

The nursery won a hat-trick of awards at national garden shows for their outstanding displays of agapanthus.

The centre, on Market Street, Hoyland, picked up silver gongs at the RHS flower shows in Tatton Park and Hampton Court Palace, and won gold at the New Forest and Hampshire County show.

The nursery is now applying for its agapanthus - large purple lily like flowers from Africa - to become part of the National Collection. This would recognise the centre as having one of the best collections in the country.

Owner Steve Hickman said it had taken the small family business years to achieve the success but it was worth the effort. The centre had supplied plants to the wholesale trade for 25 years, but had only specialised in agapanthus for a decade. He said: “I've been fascinated by agapanthus ever since I was given two as a present ten years ago. It’s lovely to be recognised by the judges after all this time, we've worked hard for it.”

The centre will continue to display its collection at shows throughout the summer. Next weekend is the Shrewsbury Flower Show. A display is planned at the Specialist Plant Fair at Wortley Hall, Sheffield, on Sunday August 27.