No. I have not morphed into a fanatical ‘blue is the colour’ oligarch nurturing football nut. I am talking about the annual Chelsea Flower Show which, this year, is. amongst other things, showcasing that oft neglected area of our modern lifestyle, the urban garden.
One of the biggest events in the RHS calendar, the Chelsea Flower Show is a glorious celebration of all things horticultural, has been going since 1913 and of course, has been running all week from Tuesday, going on to this Saturday (when, by a strange coincidence, the other blooming Chelsea will be trying to nip Arsenal’s chances in the bud).
It is as popular as ever and usually a place where you spot the occasional celebrity, including, quite often, one of the lesser spotted royals
Through having a good nose through the Chelsea Flower Show site I noticed the Greening Grey Britain campaign, part of the RHS’s ongoing mission to create
Urban growth… and I don’t mean the beard!
horticultural beauty and excellence wherever they go. This is set to be popular, encouraging people to plant trees, shrubs, window boxes whatever you can and asking for a promise to plant. I just signed up to plant a window box and am entrant number 2628. They want 6000 so get on the website and do it.
The Greening Grey Britain campaign even has a garden in the Show Gardens section of the flower show, encouraging community gardens and the designer, Professor Nigel Dunnett points out that it’s not just about making urban landscapes prettier, shrubs and trees and many plants can help prevent flooding and can soak up pollution, a growing problem in towns and cities. This is a very forward thinking and simple idea and I think we should be looking to encourage schools, hospitals and businesses to plant trees, shrubs, hedges, wherever possible, between premises and roads to help absorb some of the pollution being pumped out by our increasingly large vehicles. Good work I say.
A real Panda… just in case you were wondering
Of course it’s not all social naval gazing. Also featured at the show are a variety of entertainers, some dressed as trees looking for all the world like something out of a lost Tolkien novel and others totally covered in flowers while a couple of suited performers are spending time in one of the special featured gardens, the Chengdu Silk Road Garden dressed, very convincingly I might add, as Pandas. It’s a far cry from a couple of gnomes and an ornamental pond.
All, this plus a huge, 12,000 square metre marquee, called The Pavillion which features exhibits from scores of nurseries, flower and plant growers and florists from all around the world.
It’s definitely worth a visit and, I am told by a little bird, the weather this weekend might be rather jolly, if hot, so i’s toddle down there and take a look if I were you. It’s always a good place to get a bit of inspiration from your own garden, from planting to unusual landscaping to simple ideas for outdoor lighting and dining there are always great ideas on show.
Plus, we should definitely support the RHS and their Greening Grey Britain Campaign.
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See? Now. Go and enjoy the flower show show and enjoy your garden. Drew Hardy
