Yes it’s that time of the year again, The Chelsea Flower Show, and yet again I’m not there. Every year I say I’ll go next year instead of just sitting at home and watching it on TV but this year I’ve been so busy I even missed some of the TV programmes, I hope I can catch up with them.
I didn’t even vote on which garden was my favourite, but only because I just couldn’t make up my mind. I really hated the one called Skin Deep though. Lots of concrete blocks of differing heights don’t make up a garden as far as I’m concerned.
If you want to see the gardens you can look here
One of my favourites is the Welcome to Yorkshire garden. It’s old fashioned, maybe a bit twee but it looks like a great place to relax in.
Gardening as an aid to mental health has been a theme this year. This is something that professionals in mental health seem to have just discovered, but if they had only asked hands-on gardeners we could have told them years ago that even just looking at plants and gardens will make you feel good. Actually getting stuck into the work can be a life-saver for some people though. It’s always a thrill to see a plant growing and thriving, especially if you have planted it or grown it from seed. I’m just going to gloss over the failures though, all gardeners have them, but I was so relieved to hear both Monty Don and Joe Swift admitting that they had struggled to grow Meconopsis – blue poppies. I know I’ve inadvertently killed at least three of them, but I’m still trying!
I went to the Chelsea Flower Show eighteen years ago. I remember that because my cousin was to go with me, but she got pregnant with a difficult pregnancy and had to stay home. Her daughter graduates from high school in a few weeks. My husband and I had been to England several times, so I felt comfortable going to London alone. But I got sick after a turbulent flights and was saved by a lovely little hotel with in-room kettle and treats. (A posher hotel I moved to later charged even for ice! No freebies there and quite uncomfortable and noisy, too.) After I recovered from the flight, I had a great time. The flower show, of course, was the highlight, although I also went to Kew Gardens. I noted names of flowers at the show and bought a lion’s head gargoyle-type thing that I carried on board the plane home. It was (and still is!) very heavy, but it’s my souvenir of an adventurous trip and is currently residing in the sunroom of our new house. After twelve years in the city, I finally have gardens again. I hope they will help to restore my mental health, which is pretty shaky at the moment!!
Joan,
It was brave of you to go on your own. I’m seriously thinking about going next year to celebrate a big birthday – a bit early. I think it’s probably easier and cheaper to stay in London now as so many people are doing Airbnb. I haven’t been to London for years and I would like to visit Kensington Gardens next time I go for the Peter Pan aspect of it. I wonder if they have changed the layout of it since PP was written. Your mental health will surely improve with the help of your lovely garden!
Oh I thought you were going to say you went to the show and then share all sorts of wonderful stories and photos! Next year! Gardens are definitely good for mental health either to do the actual work or to sit in them and enjoy them.
Stefanie,
No – I wish I had been there. Fingers crossed I’ll get there at last next year. I intend to go as part of my BIG birthday celebrations next year. I’m not a fan of London though – I’ll just have put up with the crowds I suppose.