Rhs Chelsea 2013

Chelsea flower show 100th year

Highlights and trends.

In Chelsea’s 100th year it was a great privilege to wander around and take in all the sights, sounds and smells and enjoy the garden and people watching opportunities.

My highlight of the show was without doubt Christopher Bradley Hole’s garden on Main Avenue. Sponsored by the Daily Telegraph, it was a garden inspired by that view of English field patterns seen from above. I could relate to the beauty of pattern and shadow and texture, which he had interpreted and got so very ‘right’.

Unusually, the garden was designed to be viewed and not walked through, which was an odd feeling and at first seemed perplexing and not English at all! I was lucky enough to meet the designer (rather a design hero actually!) and he kindly explained that the design was also influenced by Japanese gravel gardens. These are designed to be seen and contemplated and not ‘walked in’. This explained why it felt so relaxing to lean against the beautiful chunky oak rails and let your eyes rest on the shapes and textures in the planting. It was a masterpiece and truly sublime.

Trends
Well it is hard to say and yes it was greener again this year, but that was really again because of the cold. Apparently all the plants are at least 3-4 weeks behind. I did notice some more Geums and more orange (not just the Geums) so I am guessing that some would say this is a trend.
The Trailfinders garden was very different to their usual brand of water, pavilion and barbie. It won Best in Show and was really a huge Rockery, so I wonder if this will start a new trend (like the 1920’s) and Chelsea will see wall-to-wall rock gardens for the next 10 years?

Hopefully the weather will be warmer for Hampton Court as it really is much easier to enjoy a garden show when you are not shivering - even in winter boots.

Garden designer Selina Botham
www.deignsforallseasons.co.uk will be exhibiting at RHS Hampton Court 7th-14th July. She has designed the central feature in the plant Heritage Marquee and it features thirteen of the National Collections, one of which is Geums, so hopefully very ‘on trend’.
Plant Heritage www.plantheritage.com conserves the rich variety of Garden plants we have in this country and Selina is looking forward to working with some more unusual garden plants. The feature celebrates 35 years of Plant Heritage and includes Campanula, Salvia, Lavender, Geums and Hardy geraniums to name but a few of the ‘Jewels in the Crown’.

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