HAMPSHIRE'S green-fingered stars dug for victory and scooped some of the most prestigious gardening awards.

Chelsea Flower Show is back and in full bloom with designs created by some of the county's top gardeners.

Among this year's winners is Romsey-based Hilliers who are bringing home their 71st consecutive gold prize with their traditional garden with a contemporary twist designed by Sarah Eberle, Jim Hillier and Ricky Dorlay - featuring more than 3,000 plants.

Sarah also picked up a second gold award at this year's show for another garden she created with Belderbos Landscapes and Viking Cruises in the Artisan Garden category which won Best in Show.

It was a record-breaking year for the 59-year-old from Whitchurch who has now won gold in more categories than any other gardener.

Meanwhile Hampshire Carnivorous Plants won their 18th consecutive gold medal at the show for their garden sponsored by West End construction firm TSML which was put together by a team of four led by owner of the Upham firm Matthew Soper.

They have won more than 100 Royal Horticultural Show gold medals since they were founded in West End 22-years-ago.

Sparsholt College also came out on top, scooping their 17th award and fourth silver with their garden, The People's Plants, which aims to inspire people to become involved in plant conservation.

The garden was created by a team of 15 horticultural students and lecturer Chris Bird in partnership with charity Plant Heritage.

The Brewin Dolphin Garden created by Whitchurch-based Rosy Hardy and Bowles & Wyer Contracts also came away with a silver award for a garden, Forever Freefolk, inspired by the chalk streams at Freefolk between Whitchurch and Overton.

The Royal Horticultural Society Show also featured a garden by former Hillier gardener Andy McIndoe and Pip Bensley whose non-competitive design, Jardin Blanc, adorned Raymond Blanc's VIP dining area.