My 5 interesting things at Chelsea!

by Owen Morgan

I know everyone is reaching Chelsea saturation so I thought I would cover a few of the gardens that are not getting all the coverage.

I know Jinny Blom’s B+Q Sentebale garden got a fair bit of coverage at the start and then a bit of a hammering but I think its got some great stuff on it. The form is not conventional and it does not look like a traditional show garden which might be why people its an easy target. The scale of the hut structure and curving steps are terrific creating huge drama. Also the planting is really an interesting mix and the willows must be the most surprisingly successful plants on the show ground.

A garden that has been totally over looked but I think must be considered a success is Jo Thomson’s Stop the Spread. It is the garden with the most difficult brief on the show ground, to highlight the threat of pests to our garden plants! Well I think that it does achieve that brief in a very visual way and considering garden design is a visual art form we can call it a successful design.

The sculpture at the centre of the garden by Tom Stogdon is most certainly a triumph and I think the best bit of art on any of the show gardens.

A lovely little garden with lots of interesting features is Andrew Wilson and Gavin McWilliam’s Cloudy Bay Discovery Garden. It certainly features the two best bits of hardscape at this years Chelsea. The rammed earth walls are brilliant particularly the veins of exposed aggregate and the counter levered polished concrete seating area provides a lovely contrast to the loose planting.

It also features some lovely natural planting that is not to heavy/showy. The two rustic apples really add an informality to the space.

Patrick Collins’s First Touch Garden is a little gem. It must be the smallest garden at this years show but has beautiful simple planting and an original set up.

The planting all sits on a 6 by 3 meter table which is mirrored giving the plants an impression of floating. The planting is all build around a series of clipped yew balls which I know is a overused form but in this context feels fresh and vital. There is an interesting blog post about that garden here.

The final garden I wanted to highlight is Nigel Dunnetts’ RBC Blue Water Roof Garden. I know that this is certainly not an over looked garden but i this a lot of the focus has been on the features and details. I think people have not picked up on the planting of the space which has some of the best and most accessible combination. The area to the front left of the garden featuring the mecanopsis and ferns is a classic bit of planting which transcends the show and would look good in any garden.

To find out more about what Owen got up to at Chelsea for Groundwork UK visit Owen's blog here

The details: The 2013 Trailfinders Australian Garden presented by Fleming’s and designed by Phillip Johnson of Phillip Johnson Landscapes, is a showcase of Australia’s natural beauty and Mother Nature’s timeless design.

Crafted to showcase the seamless transition between house and garden, the 2013 Trailfinders Australian Garden presented by Fleming’s, aims to challenge conventional garden design while incorporating best environmental practice in urban surrounds.

Key features of the garden include a substantial billabong fed by a series of waterfalls, cascading over a huge stone gorge, which forms a breathtaking foundation for an architecturally designed studio.

They say: Nature never goes out of fashion and the future of landscape design needs to be the creation of sustainable habitats that promote health and well-being for you and the earth.

We say: This garden has a wonderful sense of place with a strong identity. Actually, it's the only large show garden which is supposed to be based in another country yet feels the most like a real garden with its own atmosphere despite being on the other side of the world. It is ambitiious, eccentric in a wonderful way and dynamic, not a typical show garden but an epic all of its own. Seeing the freshness of the planting was like jumping into that cool billabong. We're guessing they will head back off to Auz and set up their own Garden Show, they certianly have the credibility to do something spectacular. They also had the most impressive press pack and we are rather partial to our marketting materials.

They quite rightly got a GOLD and Best in Show. Will they get the People's Choice?

For more information visit the RHS here.

Tomorrow is all about Chelsea!

The Centenary of the RHS Flower Show - we will be there tomorrow for Press Day tweeting away!

The Chelsea Chop - tips for pruning herbaceous plants in May! The Chelsea chop named such as it’s usually carried out at the end of May, coinciding with the Chelsea Flower Show.

Young Gardeners in Horticulture - is there a new generation coming through? Will Chelsea end up as ‘little more than a wistful memory’ as Alan Titchmarsh worries?

There is a lot to chat about, join in, tweet and spread the horticultural word.

Tweet #GreenMonday to join in!

Did you know #GreenMonday stems for the RHS #OfficeVHorticulture event? To find out about that and past tweets visit our #GreenMonday tab at the top of this page.

The Sound of Silence, one of this years 'Fresh Gardens' at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, designed by

Fernando Gonzalez derives inspiration from Zen Japanese gardens with a minimal and stylised landscape.

'A koan is an insolvable Zen riddle used as a contemplative exercise along the road to enlightenment. In this design, rocks made from acrylic stone and a bonsai tree are clues in the search for the garden's deeper significance.

The garden is inspired by the austerity of Zen Japanese gardens. These gardens were designed to be viewed as enigmatic representations of the course of human life, and provided an image of nature in its most condensed form.'

RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Designed by Patricia Thirion & Janet Honour

Built by Ruperts Landscapes

A blast of colour this looks set to be - 'This garden is inspired by the work of the charity WaterAid in India, reflecting the transformation brought about by access to clean water, improved hygiene and sanitation. This empowers communities, particularly women, and gives them more time to generate an income, for example by creating market gardens.

The backdrop is a simple house on stilts. The surrounding garden is a blaze of colour, with marigolds, roses and hanging garlands being grown and prepared for sale in the cut flower industry. Edging the garden are bamboos, rubber plants and Jasminum, whilst notable features include a tap stand, rainwater harvesting container and planked walkways.'

Fingers crossed the sun shines on this stunning Artisan garden next week in London.

See The RHS for more details

Digital Capabilities certainly sounds interesting and well worth a tweet. This garden is designed by staff and students and sponsored by University of Lincoln.

'Digital Capabilities is a horticultural installation that integrates interactive technology. Throughout the show the garden will respond electronically to tweets that use hashtag #rhschelsea.

A striking glass structure surrounded by large-leaved planting houses a miniaturised landscape of idealised vistas. These vistas are formed from a selection of dwarf trees, mosses and miniature ferns and offer opportunities for visitors to interact with them via social media, creating opportunities to explore audience participation and engagement in pioneering ways.'

See The RHS for more info on Show Gardens at Chelsea.

Desingers: Tom Harfleet & Paul Harfleet

Built by: NealeRichards

1. Garden Gnomes - the first time garden gnomes are making an (authorised) appearance at The Chelsea Flower Show, decorated by celebrities and then sold on Ebay raising money for RHS Campaign for School Gardening.

2. Chelsea Plants of the Century - The best plants of 100’s since the launch in 1913. One plant will be chosen for each decade and the public will decide.

3. Centenary Souvenirs - Emma Bridgewater Centenary Mug (£19.99), Liz Earle Botanical Essence No.100 Eau de Parfum, 50ml (£47) and Handcrafted Centenary Enamel Boxes (£175-£275) are among the items available.

4. Interesting Plants - like the stunning Allium cyathophorum v farreri being grown for Chris Beardshaw’s garden for Arthritis Research UK by premier grower Hortus Loci.

5. The Book - RHS Chelsea Flower Show: A Chelsea Centenary ‘an enduring look at what makes the show so special. It explores how it has evolved since 1914, how it now forms part of the annual social calendar and how it has reflected and shaped tastes in garden design and planting over the last 100 years’.

6. New Plants - like this Raspberry ‘Autumn Amber’, a Kent bred variety that bears orange fruit on thornless stems.

7. Fresh Gardens - the 2nd year of Fresh Gardens. We love this design by Fernando Gonzalez using rocks made from acrylic stone. Inspired by the austerity of Zen Japanese gardens these gardens were designed to be viewed as ‘enigmatic representations of the course of human life, and provided an image of nature in its most condensed form’. Lets hope they get some decent medals this year!

8. Hospitality - yes you may need to re-mortgage your home but go for it and enjoy the hospitality! Champagne, Pimms, sandwiches, cakes, overpriced cold chips... the delights abound but actually the food is good!

9. Product Exhibitors - while you are remortgaging take a look at the stunning array of garden products on offer, including the sundials, sculptures and water features of David Harber.

10. Show Gardens - yes, I know people like to say they all look the ‘same’ but perhaps those people should look a little harder. We’re looking forward to seeing the B&Q Sentebale Forget-Me-Not Garden by Jinny Blom educating people about Lesotho’s ‘Forgotten Kingdom’ and, more importantly, about Sentebale’s role in supporting Lesotho’s vulnerable children, many of whom are victims of extreme poverty and Lesotho’s HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Need more information? Visit the RHS Website