Chelsea Flower Show - Diarmuid Gavin's Tree House

goldengirl, she obviously has a team of helpers both at home and in the garden - her nails look lovely, obviously not like me with a constant need for pumice stone and soap at the end of each gardening day!
We both really enjoyed Chelsea this year - full of inspiration and ideas.
Didn't think much of Diarmuid's garden at first, but when he showed Alan Titchmarsh around the structure, it did seem quite brilliant.
Saw Carol Klein at the Malvern Show, she is such a good gardener and did a Q & A in front of an audience there, where her expert knowledge really shone through.

Watched Mary Berry on iplayer, wasn't it a fabulous garden? I can't really imagine her getting her hands too dirty! I thought she looked quite spritely for a 77 year old.

Did anyone see Mary Berry's ginormous garden last night? I thought it looked splendid even in the pouring rain and wonder how many gardeners she has to help her. And she gave Alan Titchmarsh some lavender biscuits made with lavender from her garden. How does she find the time!

Yes JessM , the lumpy Japanese garden was lovely and a gentle scan around it would be restful. The grasses seem to have been replaced by topiary this year. I have 2 box balls and a cone in pots but the rest of the garden is 'free-form' with few flowers at the moment, but has a range of different foliage colours and textures.

Anyone else like to have an alternative TV coverage without all the people? Talking heads with tantalising glimpses of plants and garden designs...
The mossy Japanese garden for instance - would have liked 5 minutes calm camera work with maybe birdsong in background.
Was pleased to see that my garden's cottagy profusion is in fashion this year , as if I cared. Architectural grasses seem to have had their day.

I think he got a silver gilt again which must be disappointing for him. I did not see an interview.
I did agree with the gold winners and best in show.

golden - !

There's a picture in the Daily Telegraph this morning of Chelsea Petitioners on each level! It looks jolly high! I wonder what ''elf and sifety' thought about that!

I'm with butty on this, though a part of me would love to see all the contrivances of the Chelsea Flower Show too. I suppose in time even contrived things look grown in.

Confused ot what?

pompa think of the hanging gardens of Babylon

'too' .

Having though about this a bit more, there has always been structure and form in gardens, and without that there wouldn't be the beautiful Italian water gardens nor the French formal ones, or the wonderful sweeping park lands of Capability Brown. Perhaps it's in the setting of the Chelsea Flower Show that I find grates - gardens out of context.

I like the idea that the natural shape and environment of a garden dictates how it might be and become, rather than imposing artificial structures to fit the space.

I think I've just contradicted myself - ah well - !

Back to wedding planning.....and very wet gardening.....

Only one problem - or water pressure is so low that I would have to carry all the water to the top. Whilst the show gardens are often to way out for everyday garden, they do give ideas that we can modify to suit our likes.

And there was I, Butter, thinking I'd have a high rise one built in my garden!

For me, gardens are a place for calm and enjoyment in the natural beauty of the plants, which follow the seasons. I find the Chelsea Flower Show far to contrived.

I love this highrise garden. Gardens should be fun not just things to be in awe of.

But...but...I've always had the feeling that Diarmud's structures are more about architecture than about plants. Maybe that's a feeling shared by the Chelsea judges.

pompa In this instance Diarmuid Gavin is not so much thinking laterally as vertically.

I love seeing what Diarmuid will do next, but I don't think the Chelsea judges always 'get' him. I seem to remember him receiving disappointing medals in the past.
What did people think of Carol Klein's outfit on yesterday's TV show? It was a black and white patterned dress and coat with what appeared to be white wellies! She has her own style and usually manages to carry it off.

Love him or loathe him, his creations will never go unnoticed. We need cutting edge designers like him to inspire others to think laterally. I'd just love the room in my garden to fit one of his creations in.