Chelsea flower show

Just over a week ago, Mr Digandweed and I drove down to the outskirts of London, left our car on a driveway belonging to a very nice lady ( thanks to a handy app called just park ) and caught the tube into central London. We had booked into a little hotel in Pimlico just a few minutes walk from the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
Next morning, we were up early to make our way to the Chelsea Flower Show and arrived just as the gates were opening!
Despite some early morning rain, we had a glorious day.
For garden and flower lovers, it is a little piece of heaven!
Here are some of my highlights:
A little corner of Chris Beardshaw's garden for the NSPCC, which won gold and best in show.


My favourite in the 'Space To Grow' category.
The Silent Pool Gin Garden by David Neal which was awarded a silver gilt medal and also won People's Choice.
Inspired by the Silent Pool gin distillery in Surrey, the 'orange peel' sculpture represents part of the gin making process.


Another favourite, this time in the Artisan garden category A very English garden by Janine Crimmins which also won silver gilt.
Such beautiful soft planting in this garden.


And two very different gardens, both beautiful in their own way- 
the gorgeously romantic Welcome to Yorkshire garden by Mark Gregory and ....


... the M and G garden by Sarah Price, inspired by the paintings of Monet,
both gold medal winners.


And finally from the Great Pavillion, (a cornucopia of every thing beautiful and floral)
a new rose Emily Bronte and ..



a new Dahlia Ethereal.



I hope you enjoyed this brief virtual tour!
It's back to reality here. There's weeding to be done on the allotment and I noticed on a quick trip down there this morning that slugs had been feasting on one of my carefully nurtured Hokkaido squash plants. Grrr!
Happy weekend everyone.

Oh! And I nearly forgot- I have just found a wonderful podcast, which you may or may not have  heard of called Dispatch to a Friend in which two Australian friends share the letters they write to each other.
It's a celebration of friendship, gardening, reading ...and cake.
Do listen!
It's a gentle and uplifting antidote to a mad and sometimes cruel world.


Annie
x




Comments

  1. It's many years since my only visit to the Chelsea Flower show so it was lovely to share a little bit of your trip.

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  2. Lucky you, I bet Chelsea was wonderful. I love that orange peel sculpture. Am intrigued by the podcast, I shall try and make a moment to have a listen. Glad you had such a good day out, lovely photos. I have been wrestling weeds and pruning rampaging grape vines in the garden this afternoon. All scratched and worn out now. The slugs and snails have been having a high old time in all the rain, sorry about your squash plant, so frustrating. CJ xx

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    Replies
    1. Fortunately, I have a spare squash plant here at home, so all is not totally lost. Plus I am trying out wool pellets as a slug deterrent. They are totally organic, gradually break down into useful nutrients, smell funny - and hopefully stop the the slugs!

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  3. Beautiful gardens and oh, that rose. I watched Chelsea on the telly and also loved the epilepsy garden (my brother had epilepsy all his life). Not so many slugs here. Just knee deep in dead leaves!

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