Sunday, May 27, 2007

Reflections


It's only when you have come back from Chelsea and had a few days to reflect on it all that you really begin to appreciate all the different themes, colours and ideas. I was made up for Chris Beardshaw that his appreciation of Hidcote garden was winner of the BBC viewers vote for the second year on the run. I thought his garden was the best in the show and couldn't understand what brought his medal award down from a Gold to a Silver Gilt. His win just about made up for Liverpool losing to AC Milan in the European Cup Final.

Sarah Raven wrote , in my opinion, the best review I have read of Chelsea in Saturday's Daily Telegraph. She pointed out that the most successful show gardens this year were the ones with plenty of air and movement in them and I certainly agreed with her on Jinny Blom's Gold medal wining garden for Laurent Perrier with its beautiful grasses and balance.

Diarmuid's garden too was really lovely, calm and inviting, relaxed and informal. I loved his hanging Perspex seats and daisy bubble chairs and his box. Excellent garden design.

It was nice to run into another Scouser, Liverpool lad, Geoffrey Hughes, aka Onslow or Vernon Scripps if you are a Hearbeat fan, who seemed to be enjoying himself.

I think one of the main ideas for me from this year's Chelsea is how I can incorporate more grasses into my small garden. They worked so well in many of the show gardens both large and small and I have now resolved to endeavour to use them more too.

I just loved Capel Manor College's 'A Garden to take Tea In' and hope you can get an idea of this lovely, clean and fresh garden with a neutral background, mixed palette of colours ranging from purples through blue with splashes of orange and yellow. I certainly wanted to take tea in it. and they deserved their Silver Flora.

I am becoming less obsessed with climate change and did feel the sustainability bit was overdone this year, hopefully, Hampton, which is a show I always look forward too, will not be too obsessed with it either. July cannot come soon enough as we start planning for our trip to the lovely Hampton Court. Plenty of room to move around, lovely environment, and the special treat for me of the roses in the great marquee. Can't wait.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

To Chelsea and beyond


Well Chelsea was a ball and as usual we had a really packed day trying to see all the gardens, meet people we knew, spot the celebs and make notes on all the new varieties being launched.

Our trip down didn't start too well - we were thrown off the train at Crewe - no not because I behaved badly - because it broke down. Not a good start and was this going to be a bad omen! No, we got another train, then when I looked out of the window at Stafford station I was a bit alarmed to see the attempt at decoration on the platform - see pic of rather sad looking foilage - obviously not a lot of gardeners here then. So onward to the big smoke and the big day.

What to wear? Is it going to rain, blow a gale, turn out hot and sultry or just hot? Trying to work out the variables of clothing so that you are comfortable and basically best able to do your job is always difficult. We make the usual mad dash to get into the press tent to obtain a locker, always a boon as you don't want to spend the day humping around a load of leaflets and press releases.

The gardens are magical and it is really difficult to start picking out your favourites they are all so good this year. I run into Cleve West in the Great Pavilion and also find Mrs Bucket's brother-in-law Onslow, (Geoffrey Hughes) who is obviously into plants. Once again Chris Beardshaw produces a garden to die for, his tribute to Hidcote is sensational - we are all gutted it didn't get a gold.

Rolf Harris has got 'painty' shoes and he confesses that they are so comfortable he just can't part with them - they look cute. Perhaps he could start a new fashion.

We all get shoved to one side as the King and Queen of Sweden make an appearance - in awe - I have never been that close to a King and Queen although I have been close to one in waiting!
Press behave badly as they are wont to do on these occasions with much shoving and elbows in ribs - I am unperturbed - I don't have to take photos!

It starts to rain so it is time to get back into the Great Pavilion. Over to David Austin to see their fabulous new roses launched at the show - just loved Munstead Wood named after Gertrude Jekyll's garden. What a stunning colour, light crimson in bud and then deep velvety crimson when open. Wow! Also liked Princess Alexandra of Kent, soft pink - delightful.

Julian Desborough from Timesonline, presents Emma with a rather natty bag he picked up - this has redeemed him after his failure to buy us ice creams at last year's Hampton Court - well in Julian.

It has become an annual ritual that we head for the Hillier stand for their launch. Andy McIndoe wins another Gold medal and makes it Hilliers 62nd! What a stand, always stunning but this year once again just out of this world. Hilliers always serve Green & Blacks Chocolate with their Champers - what joy - once again we are suitably impressed!

I sidestep another rugby scrum who are trying to photograph Joanna Lumley and walk into some sort of dancing people - can't join in with a walking stick - so move around them and feast my eyes on the colourful Jamaica Hort.Soc stand - brill.

The rain has stopped so out we go again - time passes very quickly at Chelsea and it is soon time to go home. Another great year, another great Show - amazing standards of horticulture, loads of ideas - lots of nice people to meet. Now its time to plan for Hampton Court and it all starts all over again!!!

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Malvern

9.00am Friday 11th May:
Here we are trying to get off the M6 motorway behind a very big queue of cars all presumably going to the same place we are! It is obvious that the Malvern Show is as popular as they say it is, fortunately, I am not driving so not in too much danger of DVT - perhaps a little Fleetwood Mac will help!

10.15am - after following the signs and everyone else we are here at last. Easy parking and the clouds have disappeared. The hills offer a gentle backdrop to the showground and everyone seems in good spirits.

11am - Just spotted Monty and the team but too interested in looking at the gardens to take much notice.

12noon - there are some amazing stalls at this show and have just purchased a wonderful Victorian seed rake - overjoyed - well worth the traffic queue to get here.

1pm - Met a lovely man on the hosta society display - Tom Elliott - who helps me with some very interesting information about my favourite subject - waging war against snails! Good on yer Tom.

2pm - The band entertains, everyone is in mellow mood - plastic plant trolley full - they are so popular down in the Midlands and particularly at BBC Gardener's World and they are here as well. It's amazing how much some people get into them. Lovely plants of all shapes and sizes being lovingly carted to cars!

3pm - the long journey home beckons - why does it only take ten minutes to get back to the motorway junction along one road when it took us over 50 minutes to come into the showground! I think I will invest in sat nav in future and learn to ignore signs telling me where to go!

I can see why Malvern is popular, at first I couldn't put my finger on it then I realised it's because everyone wants to talk to you and I mean really talk to you not just involve you in nice weather banter. Everyone here is friendly and there is a very English laid-back atmosphere about it.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Off to Malvern

Its cold, windy and dreary so I am getting prepared for Malvern tomorrow, only hope it stays dry for our visit.

I have been waging war on the slime balls again. The homeless ones are the worst - the ones without the shells - at least with snails you can pick them up and lob them into the compost - not so the other type. Well I suppose you could but I wouldn't! Anyway, I have to confess a terrible deed - I have scattered slug pellets. To ease my troubled conscience and offset this environmental no-no I have learned to wipe off greenfly with my fingers so I am not spraying the rose trees. I feel this is a fair trade.

I have decided not to fly this year to offset my carbon footprint and go everywhere by train. To date I have achieved this except it might be difficult getting across the Irish Sea when we go to Dublin in October! However, I am sure that using a ferry must be carbon friendly - or is it?

Anyway, I digress. I wonder what sort of slugs they have in Ireland - I wouldn't mind but the baby snails are so cute - it is very difficult. I now grow a lot of plants which are snail resistant and try and avoid the plants which they like, but can't help it with hostas because I just adore them and so do the slugs, so the war goes on.

There will be no gardening done today as the weather is too wet, but the ground needs the rain so I am not complaining at all. All the flowers have been smiling since it started yesterday, they are probably saying, Thank God I can get a bath at last!

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

amazing pelargoniums

I was reading an article by Sarah Raven on pelargoniums in the Telegraph at the weekend. Sarah said it is time to give the pelargonium new respect as they are fantastically colourful and long-flowering. I have always loved geraniums of every sort and the pelargonium varieties which you can now get are just wonderful. They are what I call a value-for plant as they can go on flowering right through winter in the right conditions.

Sarah mentioned one that I had discovered last year, Lord Bute. This wonderful variety was flowering right up to Christmas and has now started up again with the most wonderful dark rich flowers you could ever want. I managed to one at the wonderful Arley Hall and I have neber regretted it. With global warming the geranium is a good plant for dry conditions as it will go for a substantial period without watering.

You can also get scented pelargonium leaved varieties as well for extra fun. I just love to see a pot full of them - they are easy to grow and are not prey to pests. So if you haven't bought any why not try them in your garden or on your patio.

Chelsea is getting near and I feel my excitement levels rising. I am off to Malvern on Friday so will report on my findings - it will be the first time I have visited this particular show.

Thursday, May 03, 2007

lovely weather

What a glorious few days it has been. Managed to get my tubs planted up and some weeding done, miracle. I have been criticised for buying new pots and not taking the sticky price label off. Well I know I do this but it is good to be eccentric and I don't mind the labels being stuck on the side, its quirky.

Chelsea is getting near and I can sense my excitement levels rising. I hope that the weather is good and fair for the event Last year it rained and blew a gale on press day so we shall have to see. I remember getting very muddy.

They say it will rain over the bank holiday but we shall see. I like the garden to get a good soak at least once a week, then the rest can be as sunny as it likes. My new roses from David Austin are doing really well and settling in. I have also had to give extra care to a couple of new clematis and make sure they stay well watered. What I like about May is all the new shoots coming out on everything and me going round with the tie-string to make everything climb where I want it. All the roses are full of lovely leaves with buds forming on most shrubs.

Spring is certainly here and dare I say that I think summer has arrived also!