CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW CENTENARY

Chelsea Flower Show is celebrating 100 year. By selling pins with this graphic we did not see much more of a celebration going on.
Rhs has released a book to celebrate and also had more or less famous people painting gnomes that will be sold at auction towards RHS campaign for School Gardening. But why did they not sell any unpainted ones. I would definitely have bought a few!
But of course, fantastic gardens as usual and a lot of famous people visiting this Monday Press Day. Leaving only special guest to stay after 3 pm when the Queen visits! 

This was one of my favourite gardens. Stoke-On-Trent´s Story of Transformation. A skeleton of pottery representing the citys heritage in the rear.

Me dressed in flowers as recommended by Selfridges in their funky window display just now.

The Australian garden will definitely take some of the medals. A lovely exotic garden from down under with waterfall and with a theme of reusing water and using solar panels to make the garden self supporting.

Nearly black Irisis was in great demand. I was expecting more colours in the gardens but there was a lot of muted and black/white gardens with rusty copper as a big addition.

 The East Village Garden is inspired by the former Athletes Village in East London which will be "opened" for its first residents later this year. A mix of a heritage and modern architecture.

A radiant coloured Dahlia. I can sense a trend for this colourful and precise plant! 

Hillier lived up to my expectations with a colourful and happy summer garden. Bravo! I foresee more colours next year.

Rhododendron, Azalaes etc in more colourful plants mixes at Hillier.

More and modern gnomes. These ones could also be found in the window display at Selfridges (Oxford Street, London) here in the arms of a Hillier member of staff.

Joanna Lumbley talked about roses from South Africa with big enthusiasm.

More lovely cut roses from South Africa.

Clematis has been around since 1913 and has never lost popularity

 The M&G Centenary Garden - "Windows through Time" embraces both new and traditional garden features, from modern sculpture to planted threaded scrubs popular in the 1900s. Rust, blues and muted colours.

Living garden gnomes in one of the Artisan small gardens.

Small garden gnomes Painted by more or less famous people that will be auctioned with the proceeds to go to RHS School Gardening project. A mini Elton John painted by the singer himself, was one of them! Why the RHS did not sell white ones for the visitors to take home and paint themselves is a mystery to me!

Ulf Nordfjell is the Swedish garden designer behind The Laurent-Perrier Garden. He was inspired by two great female personalities in gardening, Nicole de Vésian in Provence (France) and Ulla Molin in Höganäs (Sweden). A bit to formal and bland for my taste but very strict and smart.

 

Slate sideways in the path @ white and black plants again. I like!

 

Sir Paul Smith is a loyal visitor to this show! Dressed for the occasion in a flowery scarf.

One of the Fresh Gardens, The Massachusetts Garden, with inspiration from the poet Emily Dickinson with a backdrop of embroided appliques of flowers in leather. Different and new and very peaceful.

Finally, my absolute favourite, The Wasteland, created with waste material but where the result is sophisticated and stylish! Well done! MORE TO COME SHORTLY, SO WATCH THIS SPACE!