Our coverage of this year's edition of Hampton Court Flower Show continues with a look at the show gardens.
Showing posts with label RHS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RHS. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 06, 2016
Tuesday, July 05, 2016
RHS Hampton Court Flower Show 2016 - Floral Marquee
The 2016 edition of the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show opens today. Set in the sprawling grounds of Hampton Court Palace, it is the biggest flower show in the world with its many features and opportunities for shopping: food, sundries, and of course plants.
Monday, May 23, 2016
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2016 - The Fresh Gardens
Conceptual and modern take on what a garden is, the Fresh Gardens...
The AkzoNobel Honeysuckle Blue(s) Garden
The AkzoNobel Honeysuckle Blue(s) Garden
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2016 - Show Gardens
Before we continue our feature of plant attractions in Geneva and in our own garden, we'll make way first for our coverage of this year's Chelsea Flower Show.
And we start with a selection of photos of the main show gardens...
The Watahan East and West Garden
And we start with a selection of photos of the main show gardens...
The Watahan East and West Garden
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Wisley Getting Arty
We are regular visitors to RHS Wisley for the gardens and in particular the tropical glass house.
However on the weekend of the 18 and 19th July there is another reason to visit, the RHS are holding a weekend Arts Festival, snappily named "Arts Fest". The RHS promise a weekend of artistic fun and festivity. With live music in the garden, as well as theatre performances, an abundance of craft stands and demonstrations plus a programme of poetry and literary talks. Throughout the weekend there will be aerial acrobatic performances in the Glasshouse, Hedgemen wandering around to greet you and workshops to create giant-gardeners.
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| The waterfall in the glasshouse |
Event times:
Saturday 18 July
11-12pm The Cabinet of Curiosities
12.15-1.15pm Poetry to Go and Dan Simpson’s Crowdsourced Poetry
1.30-2.30pm Dominic Berry’s The Dragon Who Hates Poetry
2.45-3.45pm An afternoon with John Hegley, featuring Jane Ireland
4.00-5.00pm The Cabinet of Curiosities
Sunday 19 July
11-12pm The Cabinet of Curiosities
12.15-1.15pm Poetry to Go and Dan Simpson’s Crowdsourced Poetry
1.30-2.30pm Joshua Seigal presents My Grandpa's Beard (And Lots of Other Poems)
2.45-3.45pm An afternoon with AF Harrold
4.00-5.00pm The Cabinet of Curiosities
The RHS have held this event before although we have been unable to attend previously.
For more information see the RHS Website. Normal garden entry rates apply and RHS members can enter using their membership card.
Written in collaboration with IHG
Written in collaboration with IHG
Wednesday, July 01, 2015
Hampton Court Show Gardens 2015
Time to have a wander through the show gardens at Hampton Court. With the show having its 25th anniversary this year we were expecting a high standard of show garden.
The gardens were mixed in with the trade displays a lot more this year. Whilst I can understand the thoughts behind this it made finding the gardens a little trickier. The day was extremely bright and the contrast levels have impacted on the photos.
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| Living Landscapes: Healing Urban Garden |
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
RHS Hampton Court Flower Show Celebrates 25 Years
This year marks the 25th year anniversary of the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show. And this year, much like in previous years the show was grand as ever! It is the largest annual flower show in the world and set in the sprawling grounds of Hampton Court Palace, there are so many things to see and so much to do that it is not unheard of that a full days visit is not enough to see everything. And with the summer heat currently hitting most parts of the UK, the temptation to just be there, have plenty of pauses, soak in the festive ambience, and just enjoy being there is very high!
We had a fabulous time yesterday, seeing as many of the attractions as we could, catching up with familiar faces and meeting new ones, lots of drink and nibbles, and culminating it by witnessing a grand fireworks display that ended the evening.
Here's a little preview of some of the things saw yesterday:
More on the show gardens and scenes inside the floral marquee to follow soon!
Mark :-)
We had a fabulous time yesterday, seeing as many of the attractions as we could, catching up with familiar faces and meeting new ones, lots of drink and nibbles, and culminating it by witnessing a grand fireworks display that ended the evening.
Here's a little preview of some of the things saw yesterday:
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| Lots of show gardens of course (blues, greys, and white are the common theme this year) |
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| Conceptual.... |
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| Peek and you will be rewarded |
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| Only one had a 50's hairdo. One had a Madonna look late 80's |
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| No wet Miss Sweden this time! |
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| Not bad! |
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| Lovely! And the colour scheme was an antidote to all those dull dark blue and grey palette almost all the other show gardens had |
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| Exhibits in the Floral Marquee were delightful as always |
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| Lots of plant hopping happened here in the Floral Marquee! |
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| Spikyliscious... |
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| More spikyliscious! |
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| Oh and lots of lush and leafy things too! |
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| The lovely people at Stihl gave us an extra warm reception! |
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| More show gardens of course |
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| And a grand fireworks display to cap the day and evening off! |
Mark :-)
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Chelsea 2015: The Artisan Gardens
Small, very small even compared to the main show gardens but they can still certainly pack a punch!
Size doesn't matter when it comes to creativity. In fact most gardeners (and garden designers) say that coming up for a design and plan for a small plot is much harder than a big one. But such is the challenge for those exhibiting under the Artisan Gardens category at the Chelsea Flower Show.
Here are this year's selection:
Size doesn't matter when it comes to creativity. In fact most gardeners (and garden designers) say that coming up for a design and plan for a small plot is much harder than a big one. But such is the challenge for those exhibiting under the Artisan Gardens category at the Chelsea Flower Show.
Here are this year's selection:
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| A Trugmaker's Garden by Future Climate Info - Gold |
Chelsea 2015: The Fresh Gardens
Gardens that are conceptual and meant to provoke thought. Gardens that are meant to be looked out and then to ponder upon.
But are these gardens fresh as a daisy, or mad as a box of frogs? You decide...
But are these gardens fresh as a daisy, or mad as a box of frogs? You decide...
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| Beyond Our Borders by APHA - Gold |
Chelsea 2015: The Show Gardens
For most visitors the main highlight of attending the Chelsea Flower Shower is to see the exquisite large show gardens on display and this year's selection did not disappoint! The designs this year were more diverse and there were so many aspects to be inspired with. Let's take a look at these beautiful gardens:
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| The Brewin Dolphin Garden - Gold |
Monday, May 18, 2015
Chelsea 2015: a Preview
The 2015 RHS Chelsea flower show opens tomorrow, but today ahead of the crowds, Mark and I had a preview of the gardens on show.
Our first impression was that there is more variety in the garden styles this year. This has been an improvement from last year with more interest and each garden having something special to offer. Of the hundreds of photos we took today here are just a small sample to whet the appetite.
The Sculptors picnic garden is one of the artisan gardens, these re smaller than the main gardens, and often whimsical in style. This one really captured our imagination, with great planting, and many interesting details.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
A Winters Trip to Wisley
RHS Wisley is a garden that we seem to visit far more frequently in winter than in the summer. When ever we go we always comment that we must visit in Spring and Summer as well as the colder months. But as its still January we will have to wait and see if we can manage to take advantage of our membership.
Anyway ignoring our musings, we visited recently.
When you first enter the garden the long pond stretches out before you, although cold the skies were very clear blue.
Anyway ignoring our musings, we visited recently.
When you first enter the garden the long pond stretches out before you, although cold the skies were very clear blue.
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| Henry Moore sculpture by the house |
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Chelsea 2014 Show Gardens
The large Show Gardens are arguably the main stars of the Chelsea Flower Show. Okay I hear some grumbling out there that it should be the Floral Marquee exhibits but you can't deny that this is the main draw for a majority of those visiting the show, as well as those who keep an eye on the media coverage.
Medal results are out and there are loads of photos with long commentaries out there so I'll make this one simple. Without further ado here are some (or most) of them with a few simple commentaries from yours truly...
RBC Waterscape Garden designed by Hugo Bugg - Gold Medal
The Telegraph Garden designed by Tommaso Del Buono and Paul Gazerwitz - Gold Medal
Medal results are out and there are loads of photos with long commentaries out there so I'll make this one simple. Without further ado here are some (or most) of them with a few simple commentaries from yours truly...
RBC Waterscape Garden designed by Hugo Bugg - Gold Medal
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| We both loved this garden, with its beautiful planting and angular and architectural hard landscaping. The attention to detail was amazing and we weren't surprised at all that it won Gold. |
The Telegraph Garden designed by Tommaso Del Buono and Paul Gazerwitz - Gold Medal
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| I must admit, when I first saw the graphical presentation of this garden I was underwhelmed but it turned out to be a lot better once executed in real life. So much so that we put this as one, if not our favourite of the show gardens. The attention to detail is astounding, the materials used and planting were exquisite. A very elegant garden. |
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Chelsea 2014 Artisan Gardens
Tucked away from the main show gardens are a smaller series of gardens known as the Artisan Gardens. These are all built on a tiny plot, but despite the small scale many of these really do pack in ideas, great design and interesting plants. The brief is to use natural materials in a sustainable way.
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| We were lucky with the weather, perfect conditions to enjoy the gardens. |
Monday, May 19, 2014
A quick preview of RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2014
Mark and I have just returned from the the Chelsea Flower show, so much to see and so many people to chat with. It was great to catch up with a whole bunch of fellow bloggers, nursery folk and designers, some we have met before and some new face too! As you can imagine we have taken loads of photos between us, and it will take a little longer to sort them all out, however here are a small sample of some of the gardens that caught our attention.
Tuesday, May 06, 2014
Chelsea 2014 - Things to Come
With the 2014 RHS Chelsea Flower Show just a couple of weeks away we thought it would be a good time to have a look at what this years show has to offer.
With the gardens divide up into the main Show gardens as well as the Artisan and Fresh Garden categories there looks to be an interesting selection of styles and ideas to explore.
As well as the outside gardens the Great Pavilion provides indoor space and includes new exhibitors such as Drointon Nurseries, City of Cape Town, Creative Garden Design and PW Bamboo, whilst longstanding exhibitor Hilliers will be creating a display on the Monument site at the centre of the Great Pavilion to mark their 150th anniversary. The Hilliers display is usually extremely bold and colourful, and normally includes a few plants we would be keen to grow at home. The quality of the garden designs look very high this year.
Hilliers are not the only exhibitor marking an anniversary in the Great Pavilion this year, others include NAFAS’s display celebrating their Emerald anniversary (55 years) titled “A Green Thought in a Green Shade”, a one-off display by Perennial marking their 175 years of support for horticulturists and a stunning display by South West in Bloom highlighting “Fifty Golden Years of Bloom”.
Chelsea has in previous years displayed many exhibits from councils up and down the country, whilst there are not as many doing this these days - (less budgets available and often less botanically minded parks departments), one council that has made a name for itself in recent years is Birmingham City Council. Their Great Pavilion display will this year remember those who were involved in the First World War. I would antipate that this will be a common theme this year on a number of exhibits, with its being 100 years since the outbreak of war and also flower shows home at the Royal Hospital.
Gardens
The Brand Alley Garden
With the gardens divide up into the main Show gardens as well as the Artisan and Fresh Garden categories there looks to be an interesting selection of styles and ideas to explore.
As well as the outside gardens the Great Pavilion provides indoor space and includes new exhibitors such as Drointon Nurseries, City of Cape Town, Creative Garden Design and PW Bamboo, whilst longstanding exhibitor Hilliers will be creating a display on the Monument site at the centre of the Great Pavilion to mark their 150th anniversary. The Hilliers display is usually extremely bold and colourful, and normally includes a few plants we would be keen to grow at home. The quality of the garden designs look very high this year.
Hilliers are not the only exhibitor marking an anniversary in the Great Pavilion this year, others include NAFAS’s display celebrating their Emerald anniversary (55 years) titled “A Green Thought in a Green Shade”, a one-off display by Perennial marking their 175 years of support for horticulturists and a stunning display by South West in Bloom highlighting “Fifty Golden Years of Bloom”.
Chelsea has in previous years displayed many exhibits from councils up and down the country, whilst there are not as many doing this these days - (less budgets available and often less botanically minded parks departments), one council that has made a name for itself in recent years is Birmingham City Council. Their Great Pavilion display will this year remember those who were involved in the First World War. I would antipate that this will be a common theme this year on a number of exhibits, with its being 100 years since the outbreak of war and also flower shows home at the Royal Hospital.
Gardens
The Brand Alley Garden
Monday, March 31, 2014
Chelsea 2014: Cleve West and the M&G; Garden
With just 7 weeks until the 2014 RHS Chelsea Flower show we have been speaking with Cleve West, who returns to Chelsea with a design for the M&G Garden. Cleves Garden is a contemporary version of an Islamic Paradise Garden.
What was behind the idea and inspiration for an Islamic Garden?
The basic ingredients of the early paradise gardens (shade, water, food, scent) continue to influence our gardens today two thousand years and more since the first gardens were built. I thought it was something worth celebrating.
Do you think there may be more interest in Islamic gardens from the British public?
Perhaps, but I don’t think this will spark a trend for Islamic gardens in the UK. English gardens have certainly been influenced by many cultures including those early Islamic enclosures but the current trends are more towards naturalistic gardens where nature is occasionally allowed to look as though it has the upper hand. The point of the garden is to celebrate something that has stood the test of time.
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| M&G Chelsea Flower Show Design for 2014 |
The basic ingredients of the early paradise gardens (shade, water, food, scent) continue to influence our gardens today two thousand years and more since the first gardens were built. I thought it was something worth celebrating.
Do you think there may be more interest in Islamic gardens from the British public?
Perhaps, but I don’t think this will spark a trend for Islamic gardens in the UK. English gardens have certainly been influenced by many cultures including those early Islamic enclosures but the current trends are more towards naturalistic gardens where nature is occasionally allowed to look as though it has the upper hand. The point of the garden is to celebrate something that has stood the test of time.
Monday, February 24, 2014
So What Did We Buy?
I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of interest expressed on what we bought from the recent RHS London Plant and Design Show. We enjoy looking at photos and reading about the plant haul of other plant lovers and vice versa for they give an idea on what's new and what's out there. Especially at this period where it's the tail end of winter and plant buying season is starting to get in gear again.
Keeping our plant haul a suspense was unintentional and the reason it wasn't included on our previous post about the event was simply because we forgot. It was a quick post as the show was on for two days and it was best to put some pictures up whilst it was still ongoing which may entice more people to visit the next day.
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| The plant tag that brings joy to my heart, lol!! |
This gardening blog follows our journey as we create our Tropical and Exotic themed garden. We hope you'll enjoy the journey as much as we do. We started our Exotic Garden in 2005 and this site will show its development, as well as our travels, both abroad and within the UK to gardens, nurseries and friends.
