By Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Yes, indeed, it is that time of the year again and the RHS Flower Shows are just around the corner, literally. The Chelsea Flower Show is opening its doors, once again, at the end of May and from what I have glimpsed in the press information and such like it should, once again, be a great show.
As per custom there will be a number of product launches and launches of new plant varieties and some of those are still a little hush hush, it seems.
Bulldog Tools shall this year be represented with their own garden too, which is, I believe, a first in this case. While Bulldog Tools are regularly at the RHS Shows this, I believe, is their first show garden. I am looking forward to seeing that one for sure.
Primarily, obviously, my main interest in the visits to the RHS Shows is to look at anything within the grow your own food field and hopefully there will lots of new things there again too. I know that Hampton Court Flower Show is going to have a very big display of this nature again this year.
This year's Chelsea Flower Show, sponsored by M&G Investments, celebrates the plant hunters. Those intrepid Victorians that went to all the corners of the earth collecting plants and seeds and bringing them back to our sceptered isle.
Many of the show gardens have drawn heavily on the history of plant hunting around the world. Trailfinders Australian Garden presented by Flemings Nurseries is based on the voyage of discovery undertaken by Captain James Cook, and the renowned botanist and joint founder of the RHS, Sir Joseph Banks. Uniting Australia and England in a love of horticulture forever, many of Banks’ discoveries, used in the 2011 show garden, are common within gardens today.
The RBC New Wild garden, designed by Dr Nigel Dunnett, combines ecological awareness with artistic and sculptural use of materials, but takes its planting ideas from one of the founding fathers of British horticulture, the Victorian horticulturalist William Robinson. Robinson introduced the herbaceous border into popular gardens, focussed mainly on perennials, and pioneered the use of meadows and other naturalistic approaches in his designs.
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show runs from 24-28 May 2011 with 24-25 May being for RHS members only and the other days, 26-28 May, for RHS members and non-members.
The venue is, as per usual, The Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London, SW3 and to book tickets, visit www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea or call 0844 338 7528
RHS show information can be had from 020 7649 1885 or by visiting www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea. Ticket prices range from £15 - £50. All tickets must be bought in advance. There are no sales “at the door”.
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is the world’s most famous gardening event and marks the start of the summer season. The show has been held in the grounds of the Royal Hospital since 1912 and has had headline sponsors since 2001 and Her Majesty, the Queen, regularly visits the Chelsea Flower Show before the Charity Gala Preview.
With the great interest in gardens and gardening in this country and on the rise the show should be a busy one.
© 2011
