Billy Alexander at RHS Chelsea 2021, 2023
Ferns worth their weight in gold for Ireland’s master gardener
Highlights
➜ Blanket tier 1 national media coverage for a sustained period in both years
➜ Raised awareness of Billy Alexander and Kells Bay Gardens
The Brief
Since 2021, we have worked with Billy Alexander, of Kells Bay Gardens in Kerry. A seasoned horticulturist and Ireland’s master gardener, Billy has wowed judges and the public alike with his extensive collection of Ferns which he has collected and cultivated for several decades. The centrepiece of Kells Bay Gardens is the extensive tree fern collection, many of which date back to the mid-19th century after being brought over from Australia. Billy was invited to exhibit at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, in 2021 and 2023. Prior to this, Billy had been awarded a gold medal for his ferns display at the Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in July 2021.
The Approach
&Smyth was appointed to secure media coverage and profile opportunities in Ireland for Billy’s exhibitions at the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2021 and 2023 and to communicate the announcement of medal(s) received. This involved pitching in advance to assess potential interest should Billy receive a medal – and jumping on the story when he was awarded a gold in both instances! In addition to this, on the day of the medal announcements, we drafted and syndicated a press release and carried out reactive media relations activity on the back of this
The Impact
In both years working with Billy, we secured blanket Tier 1 media coverage across national broadcast (radio and tv), online, and print media outlets for his win which was carried throughout news bulletins on the day too. In addition to this, several follow-up pieces were secured up to 1-week post-show demonstrating the interest in this positive news story and considerable achievement for an Irish horticulturist.
