On Thursday 22 May we visited the Chelsea Flower Show. This is one of the oldest flower shows and is probably the most prestigious in the UK, if not the world. Outside there are a number of large display gardens, many smaller gardens and lots of garden art and furniture displays. In the very large pavilion, nurseries and organizations have displays showing their plants.
These display gardens are designed and planned over many years and are put together over a 10 day period before the show, which lasts only 6 days. After the show, everything is removed. This is one of the show gardens.
The best garden in Show this year was the Laurent-Perrier (yes the Champagne maker) garden. Last year it was an Australian garden designed by Phillip Johnson. The Laurent-Perrier garden had very formal elements with a simple colour palette.
Some of the show gardens are less formal with a large variety of plant material.
Other gardens have used many plants but planted among birch trees whose white trunks complement the white of many of the flowers. The few red flowers stand out in such a colour scheme.
In another part of the Show are the smaller display gardens done by volunteer groups and younger landscape designers. This garden features a Norwegian theme.
While we were there, the BBC broadcast the Show each night with host Monty Don seen here discussing one of the smaller gardens.
Inside the very large pavillion are all the displays of the nurseries a few of which have been coming to Chelsea for almost a century. Peter Beales Roses have a large display of their best roses, many with wonderful fragrance. Unfortunately he died quite recently, but his company continues.
There are clematis in abundance.
There are displays that mix flowers with vegetables which is very fashionable these days
And of course there were orchids. Thailand had an incredible orchid display this year.
In addition, there were several nurseries that displayed a wide variety of plants including Cypripediums (slipper orchids found in cooler climates).
There were several specialist orchid nurseries as well with lots of different plants.
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