Chelsea Impressions

I didn't watch much of the TV coverage of the Chelsea Flower Show this year as I was lucky enough to visit there last week with Jane from the flowerhouse.

What little I did see made me realise that what I saw, absorbed, loved and came away with from the Show is somewhat different from the images and impressions you get from the coverage, which, understandably, focuses very much on the wider scheme of things so to put it all into context for the viewer - the garden designs, the clever designers and their thought processes and inspirations, the flower growers and nursery experts and their passions, the amazing water features, incredible structures, the hard landscapings and design frameworks of the gardens, and the Show itself, this year and compared to previous years. The macro view rather than the micro.

When you are there in person, once you've got a handle on the scale of things, the 6 people deep crowds surrounding each Show garden, the excitement of just being at Chelsea, and once you've patiently shuffled carefully, waited your turn, and edged your way politely to the front of the crowds to the garden itself, and found a little space in which to actually see the garden as whole, all that other stuff falls away and you are left alone in a little world of your own, oblivious to the sounds and bustle around you, to take in the breathtaking loveliness of all that lies before you - the most important bit to me, the flowers themselves, their setting and the planting schemes. The details.

this lovely David Austin rose is Jacqueline du Pre

So my post here shows just a random scattering of photos of many of the beautiful flowers, plant groupings and gardens that I found on my visit. I hope it gives you a different perspective of what was there to see and enjoy. Forgive my indulgence in sharing so many!

Apologies if some of the photos don't load, one or two seem to be struggling, I think it's all too much for Blogger!

woven meerkats amongst the flowers!

above and below, the garden "From the Moors to the Sea" designed by Alan Titchmarsh to celebrate 50 years of Britain in Bloom

Below, the stunning King Protea, the national flower of South Africa, in a display indoors

I hope you enjoyed your trip with me to Chelsea, and that it's given you a few planting ideas and inspiration for your garden.

Thanks for all your comments on my last few posts, and welcome to my new followers!

Hope you've all had a good week, have a great weekend wherever you are, with, hopefully, some sunshine!