Sunday, May 25, 2008

Chelsea flower show

After missing the train by 30 seconds because there was nowhere to park my sister Julie and I got the next train to London arriving not much later than the expected time. Fallon my daughter and Sally my sister’s daughter came with us to spend a few hour’s with us before we headed off to the Chelsea flower show. After some debate we all agreed to go to Madam tusauds wax works. After what seemed like ages waiting in the queue we found our selves in a hall with all the latest celebrities. Most are really life like and the setting’s are appropriate, but I did think Hitler should have been in the house of horrors along with sadam.

Sharing the beat with Bob Marley

Fallon and her cousin Sally with Will Smith at Madam Tussuad's

Don't know who is going home with Johnny Depp
Me looking over George Clooney's shoulder at his cards, looked more like him when we were there
Fallon coming first, don't know at what
Fallon not coming first, she let Sally win!!

After some over priced, luke warm, nothing like the picture food we said our farewells to the girls who headed for the London eye and we headed for to Chelsea. After several years of going to the show the excitement has in no way wavered. Just the fact of being there seeing the new gardens and even the same stall selling their goods is great. It amazes me how much time, planning and effort has gone into making the gardens and flower halls look their very best. My sister can't believe how they get the large tree’s and plants into the gardens and to look so natural as if they were always there. The planting of the flowers look so natural and give you good ideas that you would not have thought of had you seen them together. My only tiny complaint is after some of the short flowering plants have died (and they are the feature flower) what will be there for the rest of the year.
A lot of the gardens were very green with just a splash of white, white fox gloves seemed to be the plant of the year. There were many water pools most were very still with just a slight movement.
As every year the N.A.F.A.S stand was great. Their interpretation of a kaleidoscope was amazing giving them a silver guilt medal, they should be very proud. It was good to see the BBC giving this art some good air time. I have not been able to see all the coverage of the show on the TV but what I did see there was no mention of the individual N.A.F.A.S competition. There were some stunning designs hopefully some of them will appear in the Flower Arranger magazine later in the year.
I can not close without saying a few words about Dermot Gavin’s garden which only got a bronze. The garden design was for people to get together, to sit in dappled shade to have a drink with, sit and talk in a calm atmosphere it deserved more than the bronze in my opinion, well done Dermot.

Dermot relaxing in his cool garden

The garden done by the Australian's

From Life to Life -A Garden for George

designed by Yvonne Innes this was a garden entered by George Harrison wife Olivia Harrison depicting his life and his love of gardening. One of the few gardens to have a variety of coloured flowers

A Gadogan Garden, a future communal courtyard garden for a hotter London with the climate change, design by Robert Myers.

Real Life, Designer Geoff Whiten an sustainable garden for real people.

This green cool garden was designed by Tom Stuart Smith for Laurent-Perrier and won best in show. I just loved the cloud trees and the gentle walk through and around the garden.

I can't begin to explain the sight that hits you when you walk into the huge marque and see all the stands with the very best of their variates of flowers and plants. How the Judges can decide what medals to give is a mystery to me but I guess they have the experience. You could spend hours in there. As it was getting late by the time we wondered round it was virtually empty a real treat. I was sad to leave the show for another year but we had planed to meet up with the girls at Trafalgar square so with a slow walk back to the exit spotting the odd celebrity we said our farewells.

Posted by Bob :: 10:53 pm :: 1 Comments:

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