GREEN-fingered Denis Matthews is "over the bloom" after being chosen to create a garden for the world's most famous flower show.

Garden designer Denis, who recently moved to North Duffield from York, was selected by the Royal Horticultural Society to stage a courtyard garden at next month's prestigious Chelsea Flower Show.

The 54-year-old teamed up with sculptor John Hawkwood, from Moor Monkton, York, to come up with a winter-themed offering.

Their creation, called From Winter's Slumber, will have a stream of frozen water running down from the sculpture of a naked woman in an area of melting water at the base.

It will also feature a wide variety of flowers and shrubs which are white, silver, grey and blue in colour.

"It's really exciting and quite an honour to have my design chosen," said Denis, whose former garden in Holgate, York, featured on Channel 4 and was opened up to the public under the National Gardens Scheme.

"It's quite nerve-racking to be involved in such a world-famous show. I've been going with my family for over twenty years."

"It will take about four or five days to set up our garden."

Hundreds of thousands of people are set to visit the Chelsea Flower Show when it opens next month.

Updated: 08:46 Tuesday, April 30, 2002