Buttonhole fit for a princess

Kyle will be providing a shamrock buttonhole for the Duchess of Cambridge to wear this Saturday.

For many years the greenfingered Waringstown man has been supplying the Royal Irish with shamrock buttonholes, but recently he’s started catering for the Irish Guards and the Irish Dragoons as well.

Kyle explained: “Major Mateer from the Irish Guards has asked for me to make up a shamrock that he can present to Kate Middleton at a ceremony at Mons Barracks in Aldershot.

“I’m sending 1,500 to the Irish Guards there as well, but Kate’s is a little bit more special.

“My mother is a real Royalist so I’ve asked Major Mateer if he can get me a picture of Kate wearing the shamrock.”

Kate won’t be the only member of the Royal Family being kitted out by Kyle.

He said: “Prince Andrew will be wearing one as well. He’s the head of the Royal Irish.”

The lead up to St Patrick’s Day is always a busy time for Kyle and the staff of Hoophill Nurseries in Waringstown.

He said: “This is a very busy week for us. There’s 80,000 pots and over 5,000 buttonholes going out this week.

“There’s buttonholes going out from Waringstown all over the world.

“There’s one went out to Birdcage Walk on Wednesday which will then be sent on to the Falklands. Wherever these boys are based they have to have a shamrock on for Paddy’s Day.”