One of the highlights of 2011 for me was attending the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London. And today’s blog post features an overview of the Show Gardens, together with a selection of photos which I took at the event.
I know it’s only January (!) but there’s already a lot of buzz about this year’s show which takes place from Tuesday, 22nd to Saturday, 26th May.
I’ve been following some of the Show Garden designers on Twitter and reading their blogs to see how they’re progressing with their plans.
There’ll be eighteen Show Gardens this year and here’s a brief overview:
Andy Sturgeon will be designing an Arts and Crafts inspired garden for the show sponsor, M&G. If you’d like to keep up-to-date with Andy’s progress, you can check out his news on his website and also follow him on Twitter.
The designer responsible for creating a garden to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Furzey Gardens in Hampshire is Chris Beardshaw. You can follow Chris on Twitter.
Last year’s winner of ‘Best in Show’, Cleve West, is designing a show garden for Brewin Dolphin. Cleve’s also on Twitter.
The Homebase Garden is being designed by Joe Swift.
Pictured above is Jo Thompson‘s garden called ‘A Celebration of Caravanning’ and it really caught my eye at the press event last year.
Jo’s garden, for The Caravan Club, will feature a 1950s caravan called Doris, which she spotted on holiday in the Isle of Wight. Flower-wise, Jo’s planning on including pink and cream roses, with trees from Hillier Nurseries and plants from Roger Platts, David Austin and Iris of Sissinghurst.
What I loved most about her design was the fact that there’ll be a hammock, a dog kennel in the garden in the shape of a caravan and a stream which doubles as a wine cooler. Sounds idyllic!
The other Show Gardens include:
- The Daily Telegraph Garden designed by Sarah Price
- The World Vision Garden by World Vision designed by Flemons Warland Design
- Quiet Time: DMZ Forbidden Garden designed by Jihae Hwang
- The Arthritis Research UK Garden designed by Tom Hoblyn
- The Laurent-Perrier Bicentenary Garden designed by Arne Maynard
- Trailfinders Australian Garden presented by Fleming’s Nurseries
- Nature & the City designed by Laurie Chetwood and Patrick Collins sponsored by British Land
- A Rural Muse designed by Adam Frost sponsored by Land’s End
- The L’Occitane Garden designed by Peter Dowle
- The RBC Blue Water Garden designed by Nigel Dunnett and The Landscape Agency
- Air by Aralia ‘Rooftop Technology Meets Tranquillity’ designed by Patricia Fox
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this preview of the 2012 Show Gardens. Tickets for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show are very popular, so I highly recommend that you don’t leave it to the last minute to book!
Don’t forget to pop by tomorrow for my review of the week in Flowerona reflects…
(Images : BBC, Joe Swift, Jo Thompson)
Love this sneak peek, Rona! How I would LOVE to attend. Maybe next year?
Georgianna
You’re very welcome Georgianna! Would be lovely to meet up if you make it next year!
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Hi there,
can you tell me if it’s possible to get a press ticket to cover chelsea,please? I imagine it’s virtually impossible to get shots of the gardens once it’s open to the public? I’ve never been before, so actually, I’m not sure if the public have access to the gardens or whether they have to be viewed from behind a barrier?
thanks,
Francoise
Hi Francoise.
Unfortunately, the application process for press tickets for Chelsea has now closed. When I visited last year on an RHS member’s day, I managed to take shots of the gardens…but it’s best to get to the show as soon as it opens to get good views. As a member of the public, you do have to stay behind the barriers
. I hope this helps.
Very best wishes
Rona