RHS Chelsea Flower Show - Show and Artisan Gardens and a Sprinkling of People

In my previous post I covered the feature gardens and some of the show gardens.  I will look at some highlights from other gardens at the show here.
The first garden I saw when I entered the site was actually the Welcome to Yorkshire Garden by Tracy Foster.  Some of you who know the layout will think this odd as it is not the natural first garden on the route, but there were TV cameras blocking the main route when I arrived so I had to detour.  It is actually a great garden to start with as it is calming and straightforward but brilliantly planted.

I loved the detailed planting.  I have recently returned from a trip to Yorkshire so it also raised happy memories.  It received silver medal, which is no mean feat.
The Darwin Property Investment Management: Breaking Ground by Andrew Wilson and Gavin McWilliam is an interesting and in some ways it felt like the most complicated garden to actually get my head around. 

I am going to have to quote from the website to explain the concept behind this garden: "An elegant depiction of the learning and thought process in education using metal, open frameworks to represent the overcoming of barriers to learning. A colourful meadow area contains waves of purple salvias to reflect lateral thinking while umbels signify sudden thoughts and ideas"  It was definitely elegant and the planting worked well around the structures.  It received a gold medal and so it should, it was very well executed.

Moving on now into the other gardens.  The Artisan Gardens are ones I always enjoy, they are quite small and yet they pack a lot into their space.  The ones I want to give particular mention to are:

The World Horse Welfare Garden designed by Adam Woolcott and Jonathan Smith.  The horse sculpture was a scene stealer but spend a little time looking at the details.  This wall has had wild flowers and grass stuck into it so that it looks properly aged.  It received a gold medal and with this level of detail I am not surprised.

Then there is the Seedlip Garden by Dr Catherine MacDonald. which features an outdoor apothecary and is set around with copper tubing and still like sculptures.

The garden's inspiration, a very old book on distillation, is by the garden in a see through case.  It is also a gold medal winner and it was extremely well put together and planted.

The Viking Cruises' Garden of Inspiration by Sarah Eberle is a masterpiece of Gaudi inspired mosaic.

The sun was getting really hot by this point of the day and this garden looked hot and sunny.  It also is a worthy gold medal winner.

My favorite favourite Fresh Garden was Inland Homes: Beneath a Mexican Sky by Manoj Malde.

The garden is inspired by the Mexican Modernist architect Luis Barragan and I love the use of color.   I was surprised it only received a silver-gilt medal as I thought it was rather special.  

In the Floral Pavilion Birmingham City Council continue their series of show-stopping displays.  This one had it all, there was color and movement.

The garden celebrates the work of Rowland Emett, a name I know well as I grew up in Nottingham and in the Victoria Centre there is the fantastic Emett clock.
I love the Floral Pavilion, it is just full of color and scent.



In the show grounds themselves you see all sorts of things, 
glittery horses.
two men carrying a heavy looking wardian case,
the wonderful driftwood sculptures,
Proud fairies wearing tutus with wonderful hats showing off their fairy gardens,
that are being sold through the gardening charity Perennial, always a good cause.
There were walking trees, which I found a bit scarey, 
and these two very fine looking ladies.
I did a bit of obligatory celeb spotting


I found the rather floral Michael Perry, Mr Plant Geek lounging nonchalantly on the staircase.
This is the very talented garden designer (and my pal) Arit Anderson talking with Joe Swift just before doing some telly stuff. 
Then before you could say 'life's too short to turf a giraffe',
it was time to wave goodbye and head for home.
I paused to admire the amazing installation around the gates.
and this rather wonderful elephant I had to walk past to get to the tube station.
I really enjoyed this year at the Chelsea Flower Show.  I have shown you a mere fraction of what there is to see.  But no time to hang my camera up for a rest, next stop:  RHS Chatsworth.
RHS Chelsea Flower Show - Less can be more