@punkdoc doc It was great to see the reaction from the winners of Best in Show Garden They were genuinely suprised and so happy to receive their accolade Well deserved. Such good news that it is going on to Northern General Hospital Sheffield. Having a hospital garden to sit in was a great relief for me in lockdown, an outside space in a hospital setting is worth it's weight in Chelsea Gold.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
@Paul B3 You have been and hated Chelsea. I would welcome the chance to go. The chances to do special things in life can suddenly stop. Make the most of every opportunity with positivity.... for others who don't have that chance.
I wouldn't say that I hated the show , but it was just so incredibly crowded that you couldn't appreciate any of the gardens . I don't feel comfortable in crowds anyway .
'The chances to do special things in life can suddenly stop'. I don't take anything for granted anymore , I'm 66 now and have been going for tests , possible MND !
I still work although the physical aspects of gardening take their toll nowadays .
It has arrived again, rewilding and sustainability are going to be big it would seem. Are you looking forward to seeing these types of gardens, or do you crave the impossible budget busting gardens of years gone by?
I used to hate seeing plants at Chelsea that don't grow naturally together for whatever reason, something that happens less these days
What will be the top plant this year a buttercup maybe? Or do you crave the huge Delphiniums from Blackmore and Langdon?
The weather will be beautiful for the show. Then we could be facing another dry summer, if weeds grow well maybe it is time to embrace them. Maybe a garden with drifts of dandelions and ground elder are the future for Chelsea.
I’m with Alan Titchmarsh on rewilding as I think there needs to be a sensible balance. I love wild flowers but personally I prefer them ‘in the wild’. I also don’t believe we should all be encouraged to give up our lawn. Where would the children play for a start? My borders are full of plants to encourage pollination and I have resident woodpeckers and many other birds who feed from the ground. A hedgehog has also found a new home in my garden so I’m very happy with the way it is.
@LynfromSea Many Chelsea gardens go on to a new home. I wonder if Clive West's Garden is one of them. Would anyone want it? It certainly takes rewilding to another level. If it needs to be just ripped apart at the end of the show is that sustainable?
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
As has been explained before, the gardens are judged toa set of criteria which every designer knows about before they even start to design, let alone source the plants and materials and do the build.
There are points for build quality, plant quality and the exceution of the designer's own brief. The designers are nit in competition with each other but with themselves.
Going to Chelsea tomorrow and really looking forward to it. Have not seen any coverage as I've been travelling to get to London and then out to play with my hosts. RHS Wisley today. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Have a fab day today @Obelixx - really looking forward to my visit tomorrow.
Was the Wisley wisteria arch still in bloom yesterday? I’ve been seeing some great pictures of it on Instagram.
I think Chelsea is much like a lot of sport. You may miss the 'atmosphere' by not being there but you actually see a lot more of the action by watching on TV. As you can't buy anything at Chelsea during the show, I certainly don't think I'm missing anything.
@punkdoc doc It was great to see the reaction from the winners of Best in Show Garden They were genuinely suprised and so happy to receive their accolade Well deserved. Such good news that it is going on to Northern General Hospital Sheffield. Having a hospital garden to sit in was a great relief for me in lockdown, an outside space in a hospital setting is worth it's weight in Chelsea Gold.
It is lovely to see the reaction of those who receive Gold Medals, but I think the worst element is forcing those who haven't received the Gold to appear on camera and pretend to be delighted with their award, when clearly they aren't. It would be much kinder to go to them later and speak to them once they've had time to take it in. With modern broadcasting it would be easy simply to delay the output by a few minutes in order to edit out those who are close to tears when their efforts don't get the reward they believe they deserve.
Kt53 Yes it was difficult to watch those disappointed faces. They are all so priviledged to be there but at the time tiredness can lead to tears. They are all driven and ambitious and many return to get a gold.
@Paul B3 I visited Chelsea way back in 1992. It was the last day and a lady was trying to get on the underground with two large Blackmore and Langdon delphiniums. Somehow she found a seat nearby. I puzzled as to why she had bought them. Perhaps she had visions of a repeat show of flowers the following year? Maybe she just had to own them no matter what? Or was it just some big mistake that she now regretted. Whatever her reason, I admired her spirit and wondered if those fabulous 'spikes' made it home. Just a silly memory in many ways but I like to hold on to the best bits in my mind.
All the top flower shows are crowded always have been nothing changes. The problem is many people garden because they love open spaces! A treat I am off to a local garden centre today, you can sit outside, with a coffee it will be lovely.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
@GardenerSuze all the top flower shows do get crowded, but I've never be to one as bad as Chelsea was. At some points you literally had to move in whichever direction the crowd was going. That's not something I've experienced elsewhere.
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Such good news that it is going on to Northern General Hospital Sheffield.
Having a hospital garden to sit in was a great relief for me in lockdown, an outside space in a hospital setting is worth it's weight in Chelsea Gold.
Was the Wisley wisteria arch still in bloom yesterday? I’ve been seeing some great pictures of it on Instagram.
It is lovely to see the reaction of those who receive Gold Medals, but I think the worst element is forcing those who haven't received the Gold to appear on camera and pretend to be delighted with their award, when clearly they aren't. It would be much kinder to go to them later and speak to them once they've had time to take it in. With modern broadcasting it would be easy simply to delay the output by a few minutes in order to edit out those who are close to tears when their efforts don't get the reward they believe they deserve.
I'm going tomorrow too, @chicky - will we recognise each other I wonder?!?
@Paul B3 I visited Chelsea way back in 1992. It was the last day and a lady was trying to get on the underground with two large Blackmore and Langdon delphiniums. Somehow she found a seat nearby. I puzzled as to why she had bought them. Perhaps she had visions of a repeat show of flowers the following year? Maybe she just had to own them no matter what? Or was it just some big mistake that she now regretted.
Whatever her reason, I admired her spirit and wondered if those fabulous 'spikes' made it home.
Just a silly memory in many ways but I like to hold on to the best bits in my mind.
All the top flower shows are crowded always have been nothing changes. The problem is many people garden because they love open spaces! A treat I am off to a local garden centre today, you can sit outside, with a coffee it will be lovely.