Show Time!

(I wrote this post on Tuesday morning after a fun-packed day on Monday. Half way through, we lost our internet connection, so it might be Wednesday or Thursday when it finally appears)

All last week I was watching the weather forecast, hardly believing that it was getting close to Chelsea Flower Show time when we were still wet and chilly!

I couldn’t believe it when the sun came out during the last couple of days and arriving at Chelsea in bright sunshine on Sunday afternoon, I breathed a sigh of relief! I parked my car across the road and snapped a photo of this year’s beautiful gate arrangement as I waited for my cab. I love the rich palette of colours the florist has used - it’s quite a feat of engineering, isn’t it?!

Amy and I were both staying in the same Kensington hotel so travelled to the show together early on Monday morning. My fault that we got there way too early - a Thomas family habit!

Even in our meeting room there was an abundance of flowers - colleagues began to arrive and there was a buzz of conversation.

Panel briefing session over, it was time to begin work.

Three of us were the green team, assigned about fifty tradestands to assess. A mix of size and scale, set out along a route through the showground and beginning on Eastern Avenue.

It’s always good to work through a few of these smaller, simpler stands to get going and feel as though we’re making our way through our workload. That list looked pretty daunting and as I glanced through it, I noted a familiar name right at the bottom of the list. When we reach that stand later in the afternoon, I would surely breathe a sigh of relief…we will have made it!

Of course, the smaller stands are worthy of the same levels of time and energy and are assessed in just the same way as the big ones. It was interesting to notice some clever details too - here, the light fitting that was made from embroidery hoops.

All the tradestands are expected to include plants and flowers in their design - it’s a flower show, after all!

As we worked around, inevitably, there were some interesting things that caught my eye. Perhaps I’d return to one or two stands later, when our work was done. For now, we focused…

Though it’s generally quiet out there, there’s still activity in the form of photo shoots and interviews. We try not to get in the way.

As the morning wore on, the star spotting began. Now, I’m not good at this but my two colleagues were hot on the button. All too often I caught sight of someone’s back as they pointed out Paul Hollywood, Anne Reid, Harriet Walters or Joanna Lumley but I raised them Brian May when I spotted him wearing a pair of Muck Boots on their stand 😉

As we worked our way around we spotted some things that perhaps we weren’t supposed to see, like an untidy corner…

or a safety concern that might be the cause of a twisted ankle?

But everywhere we looked, there were flowers. Glorious flowers.

Nearing lunchtime, we thought it was time to head back and rather than return along the same route, we chose a slightly different one, though the House Plant Studios.

This is a different side to Chelsea, one that attracts less publicity than the big show gardens and which has more colour and youthful energy.

Colour, certainly!

Was it already Pimm’s O’clock? Well, probably, but we were heading for lunch!

Turning left and along by the balcony and container gardens where it was getting rather warm.

So many clever ideas along here, all on a scale that seems more achievable.

I especially loved this water garden, the more so when I noticed the designer with his tiny son, almost exactly the same age as Arthur!

But it was time for lunch! One of my colleagues complimented Alex Jones on her dress as she posed for a photo nearby and I pointed out her cute handbag which looks like a pot of Lily of the Valley flowers and smiled, receiving an “yes, isn’t it great?!” nod of agreement in return. (My Hero wonders how she didn’t recognise me from The One Show all those years ago!! 🤣)

After a lovely lunch in the RHS Suite this time - saving us the dash through the streets to a restaurant - we headed off to resume our deliberations. We couldn’t resist a peek inside The Newt’s Roman Garden however.

Here, the Master of Wine had recreated a Roman tipple made from wine, honey and spices and persuaded us to try a sample, which was surprisingly delicious! I’d like to say we took close notice of all the recreated detail in the garden but sadly, we still had a long list of stands to assess and needed to make some progress!

The afternoon was warming up nicely, the sun was out and layers were shed…time to remove the cardigans!

My route had never brought me into this corner of the showground in previous years, so this was particularly interesting.

I love to see the richly planted areas, the colour and the textures of so many beautiful flowers.

There seemed to be quite a lot of blue and purple around too.

This stand, featuring some fun sculptures was planted in such a palette too, and offered a great reminder to step back and look up in order not to miss a thing!

A little further along was an interesting display of laundry products. Fascinating!

As we worked our way along here, we heard the announcement that the show was now closing. Press Day was over and people were asked to leave the grounds. Preparations were now taking place for the ticketed Private View and the arrival of His Majesty King Charles. We still had a dozen or so stands to work through.

It was getting very warm around here in the sunshine - hot even - and some flowers were starting to wilt a little.

But those carefully planted and watered earlier in the day were as bright and fresh as ever.

We little assessor flowers were starting to wilt a little too and as we worked our way around some of the larger garden furniture stands, some of those comfy sofas looked very enticing.

Or maybe an easy chair in a cool, shady garden room?

It was around 4.30pm when we we arrived at that last stand; the one I’d earmarked as being the last one on our list and coincidentally, the stand with the same furniture on show as we have at home. I might have sat on one of their sofas to complete our notes whilst at the same time, wondering if I’d actually manage to get up again!

Now, a quiet show ground and a completed workload is not to be sniffed at and so we headed inside the Grand Pavilion to take a look around. I’d seen these proteas on the TV and they were quite a spectacle!

As was this arrangement of vegetables. I love to see the imaginative ways designers come up with for displaying the most mundane of things in a curious and attractive way!

Speaking of which, the Kent Wildflower Seeds stand was amazing. The watercolour backdrop to their arrangement of planting - a kind of “bedhead” - was stunning on both sides.

So much information about growing wildflowers in a garden here.

Then, as if that wasn’t creative enough, the other side of the same stand contained this beauty. Love it!

Taking advantage of an empty Pavilion, we wandered around, taking note of some of the eye catching features whilst we could.

Like the lady bathing in hostas.

And the carousel of fuchsias. Why does that seem an apt way of displaying these showy flowers? But our feet were aching, we each had things we wanted to see and so the three of us “green team” members said our farewells and went our separate ways.

“See you at Hampton Court!”

I headed to Main Avenue, to take a look at the large show gardens. His Majesty had arrived, it seemed, for there was no-one to be seen in this part of the show grounds.

The ropes were down and I could have wandered around freely, had my feet allowed.

This, the Freedom from Torture garden was remarkable and one I’d already seen featured on the TV. I think I’ll be catching sight of its distinctive features a few more times too.

In a short time, I imagine there will be quite a party happening in this sunken garden, but for now, it was peaceful.

The next garden along was planted more lavishly and was also quite distinctive.

The World Child Cancer’s Nurturing Garden had won an award, I spotted.

So much to see! A text from Amy shared the news that her team had completed their list too, so rather than linger, I made my way back to the gate. She was heading off for her train home and I wanted to say ‘bye (and see you Wednesday!)

On the way, I bought us each a small souvenir of the day.

The films crews were standing by. Maybe His Majesty was on his way?

The Highgrove shop was along here too, so perhaps he was heading to check on business?!

I reached the crossroads and remembered a stand I had intended to return to…

So I did a quick left turn and went back to South African Creative Dezigns to look at that necklace again. Sadly, no-one was there to make a transaction…never mind. I took a card and will maybe investigate mail order…

When I returned to Eastern Avenue I caught sight of my gorgeous daughter in law heading towards me. We went back to collect our bags, said our farewells and she jumped in a cab to Paddington. I staggered over the road to my car (feeling thankful that it was parked right there by the gate!) and prepared to drive home.

What a marvellous day we had enjoyed!

By the time I arrived home it was on the BBC and already I was spotting things I’d missed/wished I’d taken more notice of. Never mind…here’s to next year!