I wrote a post long ago on this blog about why I didn't want to go to Chelsea (the flower show, you understand ...) For some reason I can't find that post now, but my reasons were probably along the lines of the show's not being particularly green, the crowds and the fact that building a "show" garden in a few days bears very litle relation to what most of us call gardening.
Given that gardens are now my day job, going to Chelsea is part of the deal - press day has the benefit of being a lot less busy than the rest of the week, provided you can avoid bumping into various minor celebs (Anneka Rice, Patrick Moore, Brian May, Michael Portillo and the dodgy car dealer out of Only Fools and Horses were all there - you can hear me talking to Portillo and the lovely Kim Wilde here). It seems that some of the many concerns about Chelsea's lack of "greenness" are starting to be addressed - there were recycling points everywhere, and the contents of many of the gardens are themselves being recycled at the end of the show. I still have a problem with a whole show garden being flown all the way from Australia, though.
I came away with lots of ideas - the courtyard gardens were more personally inspiring than the bigger show gardens, because the scale was more akin to my own back yard, but there were some stunning show gardens too: I list my top five here. The plants that I now want to get my hands on include some dark, dark red double aquilegias, black elder, some big dramatic irises and lots of astrantias. The Nottcutts stand in the grand avilion had me salivating with a lovely little purple-stained chicken run containing a couple of bantams, and the Alpine Garden Society's gold medal winning stand was just lovely.
If I tried and failed to meet up with you at Chelsea, apologies - it was a busy day and I am rubbish at spotting people.
Given that gardens are now my day job, going to Chelsea is part of the deal - press day has the benefit of being a lot less busy than the rest of the week, provided you can avoid bumping into various minor celebs (Anneka Rice, Patrick Moore, Brian May, Michael Portillo and the dodgy car dealer out of Only Fools and Horses were all there - you can hear me talking to Portillo and the lovely Kim Wilde here). It seems that some of the many concerns about Chelsea's lack of "greenness" are starting to be addressed - there were recycling points everywhere, and the contents of many of the gardens are themselves being recycled at the end of the show. I still have a problem with a whole show garden being flown all the way from Australia, though.
I came away with lots of ideas - the courtyard gardens were more personally inspiring than the bigger show gardens, because the scale was more akin to my own back yard, but there were some stunning show gardens too: I list my top five here. The plants that I now want to get my hands on include some dark, dark red double aquilegias, black elder, some big dramatic irises and lots of astrantias. The Nottcutts stand in the grand avilion had me salivating with a lovely little purple-stained chicken run containing a couple of bantams, and the Alpine Garden Society's gold medal winning stand was just lovely.
If I tried and failed to meet up with you at Chelsea, apologies - it was a busy day and I am rubbish at spotting people.
My criticism of Chelsea is that if vegetable seeds are outselling flowers now, why isn't this reflected in the displays at Chelsea? It has a long way to go on that score. Hampton Court might be a better bet, but it is way to expensive and there is nowhere to park!
Posted by: Matron | May 29, 2008 at 07:46 AM
Your original reasons for not wanting to go are probably still correct today, Crowds, "Show" Gardens etc. My first and last visit some years ago said the same to me. Increasingly the larger show gardens seem to be competing with 'Scrapyard Challenge' and bear no resemblance to a peaceful pleasant place to spend a quiet hour. How long before the next 'modernist' designer with a little horticultural knowledge produces a "show" garden filled with tanks containing sliced and diced animals preserved in formalin surrounded by walls finished Jackson Pollock style?
Posted by: Thorrun | June 12, 2008 at 03:52 PM