Chelsea Flower Show

Forgot to mention, I’m into (British flowers) flower arranging, and Jonathan Moseley is at a number of the RHS shows doing demonstrations, he’s one of my favourites, so talented. The shows attract some of the best speakers in the country, on all sorts of topics.

It’s definitely not all about pot plants Katie59, I’m guessing you’re not into gardening or you wouldn’t say that.

merlotgran

^So glad you understand, as a professional, Mikaru, thank you^.

If I’d known this was going to turn into a thread of smug declarations I’d have kicked off with my hort qualifications and professional achievements in the OP. 🤣🤣🤣

Some people love nature, and plants, and gardens- real ones, for RL.

I'm feeling terribly smug now because I love nature, plants and real gardens.
Plus I'm terribly good at growing weeds which are just a plant in the wrong place.

That's why I like The RHS Chelsea Flower Show because it gives me ideas about natural gardens, plus plants and weeds to grow for attracting bees and other pollinators.

Casdon

Fleurpepper

MerylStreep

Aveline

It's nice to see possibilities though.

Some people are just fun sponges 😟

Cheap and nasty.

No, not at all. Some people love nature, and plants, and gardens- real ones, for RL. So glad you understand, as a professional, Mikaru, thank you.

But you’re assuming Chelsea is just about the show gardens Fleurpepper, and it’s a million miles from that, as are all the RHS shows. I’m a member too, I try to go to a few shows every year, and I’m to be found in the marquee, looking at the trade stands, or listening to the experts. The show gardens are a small part of the total package, they are the dressing, not the substance.

Quite right Casdon, as you might find out, Fleurpepper if you followed my links.

I do know that not everyone bothers with links though.

merlotgran

The star of this afternoon’s coverage was Joanna Lumley’s jacket!

I want one. 😂

Loved her hat as well!

I want her trainers!

Sorry not keen on flower or garden shows, just a collection of pot plants, we do visit a lot of real gardens that change from month to month.
Best of luck to RHS if they do make £5m, we are members bit the crowds at Chelsea just dont appeal.

The star of this afternoon’s coverage was Joanna Lumley’s jacket!

I want one. 😂

Loved her hat as well!

It's not about the qualification, per se, but what you do with it.

I am glad that Mikaru, as a professional, understood the spirit and meaning of my comment. I am fully aware that many professionals will not- for all sorts of reasons- including commercial and financial ones.

I am a RHS member, regularly visit their gardens, love Chelsea and all other RHS shows.

They do a lot for encouraging eco friendly and sensory gardens etc.

Far more than showy plants

???

Not quite sure you understood my comment about the 'professional' bit. It is not about the qualification, but what you do with it. Same as animal breeders, for instance.

So glad you understand, as a professional, Mikaru, thank you.

If I’d known this was going to turn into a thread of smug declarations I’d have kicked off with my hort qualifications and professional achievements in the OP. 🤣🤣🤣

Fleurpepper

MerylStreep

Aveline

It's nice to see possibilities though.

Some people are just fun sponges 😟

Cheap and nasty.

No, not at all. Some people love nature, and plants, and gardens- real ones, for RL. So glad you understand, as a professional, Mikaru, thank you.

But you’re assuming Chelsea is just about the show gardens Fleurpepper, and it’s a million miles from that, as are all the RHS shows. I’m a member too, I try to go to a few shows every year, and I’m to be found in the marquee, looking at the trade stands, or listening to the experts. The show gardens are a small part of the total package, they are the dressing, not the substance.

MerylStreep

Aveline

It's nice to see possibilities though.

Some people are just fun sponges 😟

Cheap and nasty.

No, not at all. Some people love nature, and plants, and gardens- real ones, for RL. So glad you understand, as a professional, Mikaru, thank you.

These look very inspiring!

www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-chelsea-flower-show/news/2023/discovery-zone

Vanillasky

The Donkeys' garden which stole the show and won awards (2019?) came right back home to our local Donkey Sanctuary. I can confirm the garden is now thriving.
The design illustrated how donkeys need access to clean, fresh water in the poorest communities of the world and is educational, on the list of primary school trips. The children learn all about conservation projects across the charity's farms and its work worldwide.
Visitors to the Donkey Sanctuary are also to buy similar plants to those featured in the garden from the shop. A lot of interest was awakened by the show on TV.
There were even piles of Donkey poo at the show! 🫏 🫏 🫏
My DGC sponsor 2 donkeys due to hearing about this up in London.

Excellent, Vanillasky!
I love the planting, it looks bike-friendly top.

That garden looks perfectly obtainable - our garden is full of rocks, walls built of our rocks, a rockery made from our rocks!

Boz

I often use the phrase "all very Chelsea" as an euphemism for Showy. Shallow rooted and Unobtainable or Unreal.

Well, no it's not.

The gardens are moved to new locations, often for charity and the ideas and possibilities are there on show for all to use, adapt and encourage.

Artificial grass has been banned from RHS Shows, including this year's Chelsea Flower Show

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has confirmed the ban on fake grass due to its damaging effect on the environment which does not align with its ethics

👏👏👏

And yet some cheeky firm has still pinched the name Chelsea for their brand of horrible artificial plastic grass. 😲

Aveline

It's nice to see possibilities though.

Some people are just fun sponges 😟

That's great to hear. I was interested in the mushroom exhibit. The ladies talking about how 'growable' mushrooms are and how to do it were great. That sort of thing along with ideas for varieties and planting are the crux of the show.

The Donkeys' garden which stole the show and won awards (2019?) came right back home to our local Donkey Sanctuary. I can confirm the garden is now thriving.
The design illustrated how donkeys need access to clean, fresh water in the poorest communities of the world and is educational, on the list of primary school trips. The children learn all about conservation projects across the charity's farms and its work worldwide.
Visitors to the Donkey Sanctuary are also to buy similar plants to those featured in the garden from the shop. A lot of interest was awakened by the show on TV.
There were even piles of Donkey poo at the show! 🫏 🫏 🫏
My DGC sponsor 2 donkeys due to hearing about this up in London.

Where do the gardens go after Chelsea Flower Show?

www.gardeningetc.com/features/the-life-of-a-chelsea-flower-show-garden
We have already seen Chelsea gardens of recent times adopt a more naturalistic style, with a sympathetic use of hard landscaping ideas. And whilst this is great for blazing a new trail for creating eco-friendly gardens, these practices need to be backed up by ensuring a lack of waste and an increase in sustainability at the show itself, as well considering how the show can have a wider reach and spread these messages to our wider society.

What happens to the gardens at Chelsea Flower Show?
SUSTAINABILITY AFTER THE SHOW

Other plants are borrowed, so are returned to their growers for seed collection later in the season. Most of the gardens are donated to charitable gardens or communal spaces, with some elements auctioned off and the proceeds going to charity

Where does the money go?

The RHS, a registered charity, takes around £5m in income from the show. After costs, the proceeds go towards good causes, which include its Grow Your Own campaign and the Britain in Bloom competition for towns and villages.

🌹🌺🌻🌼🌷⚘🌳🍀🌿

👍

The same can be said for any show though. It’s an industry promoting itself but in a way that encompasses many benefits by emphasising mental health awareness, education, employment opportunities and simple appreciation of beauty in nature.

And a lot of the gardens are far more natural now.

Anything that encourages gardening is fine by me.

Fleurpepper

I am truly not a fan. Totally artificial, including the planting, and all that concrete, stones and materials moved around from the other side of the country, and even, the world. An ecological disaster.

And creates something which is an impossible dream, that would turn into a nightmare, if it was a real garden. No garden can have all its plants, flowers, bushes and trees at their best all at the same time ... using so many artificial techniques- as there would be nothing left for the rest of the year.

A great garden is one where plants will constanty be replaced by others, in natural cycle, from earl Spring to Autumn- not one where everything is at its best for a couple of weeks. nothing before and nothing for later.

The same can be said for any show though. It’s an industry promoting itself but in a way that encompasses many benefits by emphasising mental health awareness, education, employment opportunities and simple appreciation of beauty in nature.

No negatives from me.

I often use the phrase "all very Chelsea" as an euphemism for Showy. Shallow rooted and Unobtainable or Unreal.

Most people don't wait all year for Chelsea, Boz, but copy Sarah Raven for pots. Better to buy the plant material somewhere else of course.