Chelsea – the Gardens

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show has been held in the grounds of the Chelsea Hospital every year since 1913, apart from gaps during the two World Wars. Formerly the RHS Great Spring Flower Show, it was first held in 1862 in the now vanished RHS garden in Kensington, later moving to the Temple Gardens before moving to its current site. This year is its 93rd Show.

Whilst the Flower Show at Hampton Court is bigger, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is still viewed as the most important event in the horticultural calendar and is as popular as ever. In 1979 the turnstiles had to be closed due to overcrowding and since then there has been a limit on the number of tickets sold. With enormous media attention and exhibitor waiting lists longer than ever, there seems no sign of this appetite abating.

The Special Group Tour had made us all members of the Royal Horticultural Society so that we could attend the day before it officially opened – somewhere between the Royal Family and the general public.

Under advice we were there the minute the gates opened in the morning and headed straight for the Exhibition Gardens. Over the next couple of hours we managed to get a good look at all of them, photographing them and taking careful notes of the features in our favourites.

The Show Gardens – The Show Gardens are a highlight of the show and always generate a huge amount of worldwide media interest

Best in Show – The Laurent-Perrier Chatsworth Gardenthumb_P1030238_1024

Viewed from all sides the garden creates a representation of a small, less trodden part of the 105-acre Chatsworth Garden and is inspired by Chatsworth’s ornamental Trout Stream and Paxton’s rockery.
Viewed from all sides the garden creates a representation of a small, less trodden part of the 105-acre Chatsworth Garden and is inspired by Chatsworth’s ornamental Trout Stream and Paxton’s rockery.

Gold Medal Winners
thumb_P1030334_1024

The Morgan Stanley Healthy Cities Garden - to be relocated to form part of a community garden in London
The Morgan Stanley Healthy Cities Garden – to be relocated to form part of a community garden in London

The Homebase Urban Retreat Garden
The Homebase Urban Retreat Garden

The Telegraph Garden
The Telegraph Garden

The Cloudy Bay Garden
The Cloudy Bay Garden
Close-up of Cloudy Bay window
Close-up of Cloudy Bay window

The Brewin Dolphin Garden
The Brewin Dolphin Garden

A Perfumer's Garden in Grasse by L'Occitane. Liked the comment by unload gentleman - 'I just don't get it. It's just dirt and weeds'
A Perfumer’s Garden in Grasse by L’Occitane. Liked the comment by an elderly gentleman ‘I just don’t get it. It’s just dirt and weeds’

Silver Gilt Winners
The Time in Between. Probably our favourite garden and ironically the only Australian entrant
Charlie Albone has designed this garden as a space to tell his late father about his life since his passing. The first section celebrates life with beautiful and romantic planting; the water feature in the next section reflects the emotions felt at the loss of someone close, as it can empty in a matter of seconds; and the rear of the garden is an intimate space to sit, connect and communicate with loved ones
The Time in Between. Probably our favourite garden and ironically the only Australian entrant. Charlie Albone has designed this garden as a space to tell his late father about his life since his passing. The first section celebrates life with beautiful and romantic planting; the water feature in the next section reflects the emotions felt at the loss of someone close, as it can empty in a matter of seconds; and the rear of the garden is an intimate space to sit, connect and communicate with loved ones

Hidden Beauty of Kranji Garden
Hidden Beauty of Kranji Garden

thumb_P1030260_1024
The Beauty of Islam Garden
The Beauty of Islam Garden

The Royal Bank of Canada
The Royal Bank of Canada

Hope in Vulnerability - Prince Harry's garden and The Peoples Choice for Best in Show (was it the garden or was it Harry)
Hope in Vulnerability – Prince Harry’s garden and The Peoples Choice for Best in Show (was it the garden or was it Harry?)

M & G Garden Retreat
M & G Garden Retreat
Flowers in M&G Garden
Flowers in M&G Garden

Living Legacy Garden - not too sure about this one
Living Legacy Garden – not too sure about this one

The Fresh Gardens – Engaging and different, Fresh Gardens complement more traditional Chelsea exhibits and reveal new ideas and styles.

Dark Matter Garden - Best in Show
Dark Matter Garden – Best in Show

Breakthrough Breast Cancer Garden - Winner Peoples Choice
Breakthrough Breast Cancer Garden – Winner Peoples Choice

Lyndal & Edgar’s favourites
The World Vision Garden
Represents rice fields in Cambodia
The World Vision Garden which represents rice fields in Cambodia

Personal Universe Garden - just love the fountain
Personal Universe Garden – just love the fountain

Pure Garden - something a bit different
Pure Garden – something a bit different

Artisan Gardens – Truly enchanting and imaginative, Artisan Gardens reflect both traditional and modern approaches, using artisan methods and natural materials from sustainable sources – all in a small plot.

Breast Cancer Garden
Breast Cancer Garden

The Edo Garden. The Edo period in Japan was a time when horticulture became open to all Japanese people, and this garden reflects that moment; it is a garden designed for everyone, regardless of their class or wealth
The Edo Garden. The Edo period in Japan was a time when horticulture became open to all Japanese people, and this garden reflects that moment; it is a garden designed for everyone, regardless of their class or wealth

Pilot
The Evaders Garden.The designer’s father was an RAF evader who was helped to freedom by ordinary French citizens after being shot down in 1943. Inspired by these acts of selfless bravery, the garden’s design reflects the bond between helper and evader. A sculpture of a young pilot, seconds after parachuting into France, hides in the ruins of a war-damaged church. His eyes look up to a stained glass window where two young French people are reaching out to help him. The wall has a code poem engraved into a tablet, along with names of Resistance fighters.
The Evaders Garden.The designer’s father was an RAF evader who was helped to freedom by ordinary French citizens after being shot down in 1943. Inspired by these acts of selfless bravery, the garden’s design reflects the bond between helper and evader.
A sculpture of a young pilot, seconds after parachuting into France, hides in the ruins of a war-damaged church. His eyes look up to a stained glass window where two young French people are reaching out to help him. The wall has a code poem engraved into a tablet, along with names of Resistance fighters.

The Sculptors' Picnic
The Sculptors’ Picnic

By 10.30 am the crowd had swelled to the extent that getting a good look was near impossible so we decided to check out the Royal Pavilion where the crowd was minimal.