The RHS Chelsea Flower Show: Blooming Lovely

Rosa ‘Graham Thomas’ by Susan Ellison-Bunce

In May of each year in the grounds of the Royal Chelsea Hospital, in London, is the world’s most famous gardening event. It is the Great Spring Show held by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Nowadays most people know it as the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Held originally in 1862 in the RHS grounds in Kensington, it moved to its present venue in 1913 where it has been held almost every year since.

Originally a four day event, the show has now become such a huge worldwide draw that this year it now runs into seven days and all tickets are sold out well in advance.

The Foreign & Colonial Garden by Stuart Meeson

The event covers all aspects of horticulture and is very competitive. Nurserymen, vegetable growers, designers and landscapers are just some of the people who put on their best displays here, to win a coveted medal. There have been many TV documentaries and articles that show them going through the “blood, sweat and tears” necessary to put on a good show and have the displays ready on the opening day.

Canary Islands by Felicity Miller

Now that the event lasts seven days this is a particular problem for those with cut-flower displays. The strict rules of the society dictate that all displays have to maintain the highest standards of appearance. This means that over the course of the show the cut –flowers may have to be replaced more than once from a stock kept in cold storage.

Rose by Hannah Clarke

There are a number of rules that exhibitors have to adhere to, but of them all the most amusing has to be the banning of garden gnomes. Over the years, and usually with a sense of mischief, several exhibitors have tried to sneak the odd little garden chap into their displays, but they have always been spotted and the offending gnome has been led out of the exit.

James May insists that there is one hiding in his garden. The popular TV presenter and columnist has, surprisingly, been allowed to create a garden entirely out of the children’s modelling clay Plasticine. The RHS have allowed this unusual display to encourage children to take an interest in gardening.

Plasticine garden

A Plasticine rose from the display and below the real article.

Rosa “Winchester” by Mina Evans

The show has been described as the “Haute Couture” of the horticultural world. It is an opportunity for growers to introduce new breeds and hybrids to gardeners globally.

It is a place where designers can show off their ideas, and not only influence others put also be influenced by others.

New plants, shrubs and flowers take to the catwalk to be snapped up for displays around the world next year.

This glorious melting pot of, smells sights and colours attracts a capacity crowd every year, with some visitors returning year after year.

When asked what brings them the answers vary. For some it is the event and the experience. For others it is “to see the plants” or “to see the vegetables”.

Carrot display by Rose Barker

Hot Stuff by Chris Bellinger

Many come to pick up ideas for their own gardens, be it in the design, the use of planting arrangements or for new plants and shrubs. The display gardens not only give ideas for top-end expensive gardens but ideas for inexpensive use of recycled materials such as old bricks for paths or old water cisterns being used as water features.

Whatever the reason the visitors come, they must all admit, it’s “Blooming Lovely.

Aqualigias by Sandra Knott

The organic Herb Garden

Sarracenia by Mina Evans

Paeonia “Buckeye” by Stuart Meeson

Detail from the Cancer Research Garden by Mina Evans

Clematis “Crystal” by Jonathan Fothergill

Tulips by Ben Smith

Auricula by John Bussey

For more information and pictures visit the RHS or the BBC

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