We have had quite a busy, and enjoyable day at the 2013 RHS Chelsea Flower Show. As mentioned in our preview post we will be covering this in more detail over the coming few days (especially once we have been able to sort through the many photos we both took.
M&G Garden
Today was judging day, with the results being announced tomorrow morning, we had a go at guessing how some of the gardens and exhibitors would do, so it will be good to compare our estimates to the actual results tomorrow.
The celebrities were also out in force today, and we spotted quite a number, ranging from ex-Beatle Ringo Starr, actresses Joanna Lumley and Helen Mirren, TV presenters such as Anneka Rice, Tommy Walsh and Nick Knowles, Singer Kim Wilde and a whole bunch of other personalities from TV, the arts, sport etc.
However the real stars of the show are of course the exhibitions, the show gardens, nurseries and of course the plants. The most botanical interest is found in the great pavilion with nurseries such as Trewidden (see our recent trip), Crug Farm, Todds Botanics (who we last visited back in 2011) and Burncoose, to name just a few...
Trewidden had a plant in the short-list for plant of the year - Aeonium 'Poldark'
Crug Farm
Crug Farm
Todds Botanics
As well as the nursery stands there were of course the large floral exhibitions, particular highlights for us coming from Birmingham City Council, The Thailand Tourist Board, Hilliers and Taiwan.Hilliers
Hilliers
Part of the Amazing Thailand Display
More orchids, this time from Taiwan
Birmingham City Council
Outside there are plenty of gardens to choose from and we will cover them in more detail but I think my initial favourites were the Flemmings Australian Garden, The Wasteland Garden and also The Japanese Garden (actually called An Alcove)Stop the Spread
An Alcove (Tokonoma) Garden
The M&G Centenary Garden – ‘Windows through Time’
The Wasteland
Stoke-on-Trent’s Story of Transformation
Sentebale Forget-Me-Not Garden
Tetris with bushes... The Telegraph Garden
Trailfinders Australian Garden
Trailfinders Australian Garden
And how did Trewidden get on with their entry to plant of the year.... sadly the Aeonium 'Poldark' didn't win, however the winner was Mahonia 'Soft Caress' which we even have growing in our garden (see here for our post). That's it for our initial look at Chelsea 2013, we are going back for a closer look tomorrow - and of course to see which gardens and exhibits win which awards! Gaz