Greg Rhodes reports
Blustery wet weather failed to wipe the shine off the Chelsea glow-up yesterday as media descended on the Royal Hospital site to report on the world’s most famous gardening event, sponsored this year by Range Rover.
Celebrities were out in force too. Walking among the glitterati, what struck me most was the glitz and glamour of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show – floral suits and dresses striding out at every twist and turn. The stunning and the outrageous.
Some truly special gardens adorned the show. The Parkinson’s UK, Eden Project, Tate Britain, Campaign to Protect Rural England and Lady Garden Foundation’s Silent No More presentations proved show-stoppers for me, as did The Bat Conservation Trust’s Nocturnal Garden, featuring a giant wooden bat sculpture, unveiled by singer Will Young.
Inside the Great Pavilion, with its glorious floral displays, Blue Diamond Garden Centres’ immersive walk-through its home-grown plant selection, complete with fountain, sank me deep into the Chelsea culture.
Engaging with trade exhibitors – some first-timers, others celebrating a generation of appearances – left me in no doubt Britain has much to celebrate about both innovation and tradition, as new entrants and ‘old stagers’ stood side by side among Chelsea’s riot of colour, elegance and chutzpah.
A big thanks to the RHS Chelsea press team for welcoming me to this show of shows.
