It was the lawn of a new day for designer Jo Thompson, who after eight years at RHS Chelsea was awarded a Show Garden gold medal.

The Chelsea Barracks Garden will be transferred to the Royal British Legion in Aylesford, near Maidstone, later this year - a fitting tribute from the woman who started her garden design business in Cranbrook.

“This is my best ever moment at RHS Chelsea,” said Jo, a mother-of- two children who attend school in the county.

The garden, sponsored by Qatari Diar, was a brave design with a large lawn for community use. Elegant, curving stainless steel cantilevered benches with a bronze finish hug the lawn and Jo’s signature seating is now consistently the best at the world’s greatest flower show.

Exceptional planting of the 21st century rose garden by her all-women team featured fragrant pink roses including Nuits de Young, Louise Odier, Madame Pierre Oger and Reine de Violettes.

How Green Nursery, of Hever, near Tonbridge, supplied the annuals while the water feature also highlighted a Kent supplier - Fountain Works, based at the Historic Dockyard Chatham.

Jo said: “This gold medal is a reward for everyone’s hard work and there are a huge number of people who made this happen. It was a hugely complicated design.

“I am delighted the judges liked the concept of a communal garden; this has to be my best moment at Chelsea ever and transferring the garden to Kent after the show will be the icing on the cake.”

Kent's other winners at RHS Chelsea 2016

GOLD: Paul Harris, of Brookfield Nursery, in Ashford, seems to have the Midas touch when it comes to exhibiting hostas at RHS Chelsea. He secured his fourth gold medal in a row in the Great Pavilion with his new, wavy-leaved hostas catching the judges’ eye.

GOLD: After taking a year out from RHS Chelsea, lavender specialist and six times’ RHS Chelsea gold winner Dr Simon Charlesworth of Downderry Nursery, Hadlow, near Tonbridge, added another gold to his collection. His new lavender, named after Dad’s Army actor Ian Lavender, took pride of place in the sweeting smelling display.

GOLD: Sue Marshall, from Marden, grabbed another gold to make it two in a row for displaying irises grown on behalf of the French plant breeder Cayeux. Sue’s Terre a’ Silex purple and white iris was also shortlisted as a finalist in the Plant of the Year 2016.

GOLD: In The Grand Pavilion, cut flower expert Simon Richards, from Folkestone, created M&S’s zingy Spirit of Summer display in brightly-coloured blocks of roses, peonies and gerberas. Simon, who moved to the Kent coast four years ago, hit the brief with a joyous carnival of flowers.

SILVER GILT: Canterbury’s Sally Hayward, secretary of the RHS Rhododendron, Camellia & Magnolia Group can be proud of a highly attractive and instructive display of rhododendrons, including rare specimens from around the world. The exhibit marked the group’s 100th anniversary of its inuaugural AGM on May 23, 1916.

SILVER GILT: Former Hadlow College student and lecturer Nick Bailey created the Winton Beauty of Mathematics Garden with a diverse range of plants rarely seen at the show – very much a garden to please the true plantsmen and women at RHS Chelsea. Bet on gold for 2017.

SILVER GILT: Former Tonbridge School pupil John Warland received his second silver-gilt medal in a row for the undulating World Vision garden which was inspired by children around the world, especially those living in poverty and where disasters strike.

SILVER: Former Wilderness School, Sevenoaks, pupil Matthew Wilson created the spectacular God’s Own County – A Garden for Yorkshire, with planting colours based on the Great East Window in York Minster. In picking out the gold and bronze stained glass, he included the iris Kent Pride.

The future looks bright for Garden of England’s designers and rumour has it that more rising talent from Kent will be going for gold in 2017. Watch this space.