Friday, 23 May 2008

Chelsea Flower Show 2008

After work this afternoon I headed over to Chelsea for the Royal Horticultural Society's annual flower show. I'd left it too late to order an afternoon ticket (they sell out quickly) so got an evening ticket for entry at 5.30pm. I got straight in shortly after 5pm so that gave me ample time to browse. As ever, it was incredibly crowded, people milling round everywhere but that's part of Chelsea, I suppose.

First stop was the Grand Pavilion and all the flower displays, banks of gorgeous flowers all over the place, colour and shape making me wander like a magpie round the Pavilion, veering off course when a blaze of colour caught my eye. I think the Pavilion is larger this year - it looked it and felt it while I wandered round.

After wearing my eyes out with colour I went outside for an ice-cream and a look at the gardens. I think my favourite was the 'George Harrison garden' which is a bit of a coincidence since I bought 'All Things Must Pass' the other day. It's a colourful garden with a riot of planting at the front alongside a ceramic star celebrating 'Here Comes The Sun' with a winding path to a little stream and leading to a Mughal pavilion with silk cushions for relaxing on. Beside the stream is a large photo of George circa 1970 from the 'All Things' shoot with water seeping over it as a fountain and bubbling into the stream. Beside the stream are etched the words, 'Floating down the stream of time from life to life with me... by George Harrison'. It's a peaceful garden.


It was fun walking round the exhibition seeing all sorts of plant-related stuff - stalls selling flowered wellies, plant pots, little tractors, wind-chimes, sheds, water-colours... you name it, it was there. There were plants and flowers in all shapes, from a giant rugby player in the Cardiff garden to shoes made from tiny alpines in a 'designers' garden. The Caribbean gardens once again won my award for most colour and form but they weren't as imaginative as last year, and some of the other exhibitors seemed to use the same designs and motifs as last year. I was pleased to find the display of orchids from Japan I'd been hoping to see, with delicate little orchids with their roots wrapped in moss and suspended from a tree. After a day at work it was knackering, but nice to see.

Did I take any photos? Oh yes, and here's a sample....



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