Yes, it’s that time of the year again and it almost feels like summer, at least the sun is out, even if the wind is still a wee bit chilly. I’ve been watching The Chelsea Flower Show on TV as usual, it’ll be on The BBC all this week but I’m going to be looking at all the gardens online and then I’ll decide which ones I think are best in the various categories. You can usually vote for your favourites in the hope that they might win the people’s award at the end of the show.
If you want to see what’s going on at Chelsea this year have a look here.
I am so jealous that the BBC is covering the flower show all week! We get BBC America. but I don’t think they have the coverage that the regular BBC has. I’ve been unpacking boxes of gardening books (from our move six years ago!) and I’ve got gardening fever.
!999 was the last time I was in England, when my cousin and I planned to go to the Chelsea Flower Show. She got pregnant and couldn’t go, so I went alone. I had a wonderful time at the show, dragged home a very heavy lion’s head drain spout (Jack and I are both Leos), and visited Kew Gardens. Except for getting sick for the first day or two, air travel and nerves, I think, I had a wonderful time. (Of course, I also visited a bunch of book stores!)
Joan,
I’m convinced you’ve been everywhere!! I hope you still have that lion’s head drain spout – it sounds lovely. I should’ve visited Chelsea when we lived in Essex, it would’ve just been a short train journey but even then I wasn’t keen on the crowds in London.
The BBC coverage this year seems to be even longer than usual, great stuff. I really think that they shouldn’t block things like Chelsea and the recent Shakespeare programmes too. Anything educational should be available to the world, it’s a good way of holding a hand out to other cultures, well that’s my opinion anyway!
I wouldn’t part with that lion’s head for the world! I brought it back as carry on luggage and it weighed a ton!
I don’t think the crowds were that bad in 1999 and, I believe, I went on one of the first days. Now that I think of it, I may have gone on an RHS members only day, if there was one. I was a member of the RHS for many years. I cherished their wonderful magazine and saved every issue. I got wonderful photographs at the show.
I’m amazed at how crowded everything has become in the last 10, 15 or 20 years. I go almost nowhere these days because I can’t abide the traffic or the crowds. I’d rather watch on TV or read about it.
Joan,
You never cease to amaze me – fancy you being an RHS member, that’s obviously the best way to visit Chelsea!
I’m glad you still have your lion, you definitely have to get a garden for it. I haven’t even been to the Scottish version of Chelsea at Edinburgh, the thought of the crowds puts me off.
Thanks for the link! I like the dry garden inspired by Wordsworth. How fun it would be to actually attend the show even though I am sure my allergies would not like being innundated with all that flower pollen!
Stefanie,
It would be fun but exhausting to visit it. You might be able to see some more of it on your TV – BBC America according to Joan, it’s one way of avoiding the pollen!
Having no garden (live in a flat) I do love dreaming about all the gardens I could sit in reading while watching Chelsea. Though I do object to making the Queen wear that silly hair net. She had it on last year.
Jo,
Did she have that on last year? Once seems bad enough. I couldn’t make up my mind if it was just a net, sometimes it looked like there was a small hat under it which was the same colour as her hair, very unflattering anyway.
Oh how I’d love to go to the CFS, but maybe it;s better to see the pictures from home as the crowds will be horrific and you’d never get a chance to take photos without people standing in front of you, or pointing right over the camera lens, etc. I’ll watch online and on tv. Just came in from my own garden. I’ve emptied 3 bags of topsoil into one raised bed – justy to top it up, and I’ve planted some of the pots I had waiting. Put a whole lot of pots into a trough for a bath as summer seems to have hit and they were looking very thirsty. Went to attach my hose to the tap but it’s got a hole in it!!! Bet Diarmid Gavin doesn’t have that problem!!! Had to use the watering can instead! Just as well I have some containers of rainwater so didn’t have to keep going up and down the steps to the house!
Evee,
I’d love to go but I suppose the reality would be just as you describe it. It would be great to be there for the sell off though at the end of it all and be able to buy some of Chelsea. I love to see people going out with massive hollyhocks, intending to go on the Tube with them! Has there been a mouse at your hose then? I wouldn’t be surprised, they seem to like things like that. I don’t think Diarmid Gavin would lower himself to actually do some gardening!
We were lucky enough to be able to go on Tuesday. The weather was fantastic. We thought it would be crowded but there was plenty of space to see the gardens and take lots of photos. There were lots of people there but its a huge site with so much to see and do. Well worth visting!
Mark and Gaz,
Just going from what I’ve seen on TV, Chelsea seems to get busier as the week goes on, maybe the answer is to go as early as possible. Maybe next year! Thanks for taking the time to comment.