A florist from Marlow is in the running to be crowned the best in the country after securing a place at Chelsea Flower Show where her unique display will be seen by the Queen.

April Bennett, who works at the Flower Studio, was one of two entrants to a regional contest to go forward for the National Young Florist of the Year competition at this year’s show.

The 23-year-old, who shunned university to become a full time florist after falling in love with the trade, impressed judges with her Asian-style ‘wedding cake’ display in the heats.

Now in her eighth year at the Liston Court florists, the former part-time Saturday girl said she is excited to be back at the show for a second year and in with a sniff of walking away with the top prize.

She said: “I’m so excited, I can’t wait. I was fortunate enough to get through last year so I know what to expect.

“As well as the gardens, they have a floristry section and there’s about 500 entrants. They haven’t sent us the brief yet, so I could be making anything.

“I’m really happy just to have got through, but I’d like to beat what I did last year. It’s a difficult competition but I will work as hard as I can.”

April won one of eight regional heats to reach May’s Royal Horticultural Society show, which is visited by the Queen and other Royals.

Her wedding cake design took two weeks of her spare time to make, with the dedicated florist staying up until the early hours to perfect the design.

April, who gave up plans  to study history at university to become a florist, said she is thankful to her colleagues for all their training and support.

She said: “I started as a Saturday girl when I was 15, and was going to take a gap year before going to university.

“But I just love working with fresh flowers, you see such a range of emotions in this job with weddings and babies, and seeing the flowers every day, they just speak for themselves really.

“I’d be speechless if I won. When I started here I didn’t think I would be go through to Chelsea and everyone here has really supported me, it’s made a massive difference.”

As well as the top prize of Young Florist of the Year, April has her eye on bettering the bronze medal she received last year, with silver, silver gilt and gold medals also available at the coveted show, which runs from May 19 to 23.