Friday's World Tour

A good day's staging - warm, humid and sultry and that's not just Moroccan Magic. Neil and Nigel took a break on the Thrones of Knowledge which they installed in Jardin Majorelle - Looks like a Beckham wedding doesn't it? Here's a few videos from today's show. Now come with me to the kasbah.....

Moroccan Magic

Kevin, Cindy and Richard arrived early this morning. Richard cracked on with staging with Chris while Kevin and Cindy got stuck into the labelling. Cindy writes between 750 and 800 labels each year. Kevin lists the plants and Cindy then tries to read his writing and decipher his spelling - quite a challenge. Another distraction this year - looks like Kev is quite taken with my headgear.........another adventure in the making.

Around midday Mehrdad and his team arrived with the copper and glass sculpture for Venetian adventure. Its called Isphahan after the ancient Persian capital. The "flowers" are aqua glass and pick up the colour of the Moroccan garden beautifully. It is absolutely stunning as ever and although we never discussed the design in detail I know that I will never be disappointed by what he produces. When the light catches that glass and those copper leaves the effect will be quite breathtaking - especially against the rich ruby, purple and sapphire of Pip and dave's planting.

Venetian Adventure

The slate monoliths are now in place as are the fabulous stainless steel spherical water features. Gary and Steve have been working on the green and white woodland planting and I've been nagging them incessantly about covering the tree pots before they put in the delicate aquilegias primulas and the stunning Digitalis 'Serendipity'.

White water

Kartika now sits amidst a carpet of wild silk colour - Sue and Dan have woven a veritable silk sari beneath her feet. I think this vista will be a favourite during the week.

Indian Intrigue

Tim arrived late afternoon and we did some of the shots for Chelsea Live magazine - would be great to get a couple of those in the bag a day early instead of rushing it at the last minute. However, its always when you think you are ahead that you fall behind so I won't be too complacent yet!

Once a Plant Hunter...

Thursday and the next contingent of the staging team arrived on site - Sue, Emma and Jane, Ricky and John and Pip and Dave. Three lorry loads of plants - not four as expected, but still loads to unload and plenty of glorious colour. Chris and Emma worked on the timber edging which is now all but completed. Stuart finished his pool which was three parts filled withwater before we left tonight. Once the plants are off the lorries the team gradually divide into small staging teams and to concentrate on areas of the exhibit - Pip and Dave are in Venice, Stu is stuck in Morocco, Sue is in India and Steve and Gary are riding White Water - Rick and John are still travelling. Its clearly not just the dust cloud that causes travel disruption!

When we left the appartments this morning we managed to leave Dan behind - nothing personal. He came round very quickly when we gave him a pastry - easy pleased!

I did a bit on the new Digitalis 'Serendipity' for the One Show - doing an X Factor for plants linked into the RHS best new plant intro. There's no doubt about it a new plant always attracts attention. However in amongst the vast number of plants being wheeled into he Pavilion there is a secret show stealer on the Hillier exhibit. With lovely broad green leaves and graceful habit the little known Sinocalycalycanthus has arrived. It has soft wine red flowers - shaped like small lotus blossoms - its stunning - the show plants look great and I know this one has the X Factor. It's more of a Leona Lewis than a Joe McKeldry - However maybe the Digitalis is actually our Alexandra Burke?

At the end of the Day ricky decided to go for an alternative mode of transport - Its amazing who you make friends with at Chelsea................

Painting with Plants

Wonderful Wednesday

Wednesday dawned fresh and clear with the promise of a warm day. the first six of the staging team left Ampfield with me at 6a.m. - Chris driving the minibus. We arrived at the show at around 8.30 in time to offload the first of three lorries. On board a few remaining accesories such as the stainless steel water features, the huge terracotta piece for Moroccan Magic and another urn and statue and lots of plants - big plants. Huge specimens of Viburnum burkwoodii, Viburnum plicatum 'Mariesii', Cornus controversa 'Variegata', Syringa josiflexa 'Bellicent', Cornus kousa and so it goes on. My reaction is always "We'll never fit all" that in - but then those planting areas get bigger and the exhibit swallows more and more material. The first rhododendrons arrive - looking good. The cherries we put into place the other day are now fully open with the rising temperatures - colour combinations start to formulate.

Pete and Steve have finished the paving and hard landscaping elements of the exhibit and leaveearly afternoon. Neil, Chris and Dan concentrated on the edging. Stu specialised in his Majorelle pool which is looking good - several exhibitors enquired about bathroom installations - could be a new career break for him. Bring on the Matey.....

Nigel made his last mix - 160 this year - he then turned his attention to Kartika who is comfortably installed on her plinth. We decided to raise her up to show her best assets - we all agreed she has a very pretty face.

Steve and Gary concentrated on the planting around the diary room while Dave pumped water into thirsty trees and specimen shrubs - in the warm tempertures watering will be a priority.

With the rising temperatures watering will be a priority - especially with four lorries to look forward to tomorrow........And now to Ask Pizza....

Tuesday - and the temperature is rising........

Tuesday morning - warmer and the weathermen are promising a heatwave. I don't really want that - I just want comfortable temperatures and a little sunshine.

Just had the staging team briefing. The great thing about Chelsea is that it brings together a group of people from different parts of the company - people who do not normally work together. Although many have done Chelsea before the novelty of the experience never wears off and the anticipation is as exciting as ever. Some may think of it as a few hard days labour - those involved see it as a unique opportunity to be part of a magical creation. The minibus - our transport of delight for the next few days has arrived. Ricky is busy loading ready for three lorries to arrived in London tomorrow - the first one just after we arrive on site - hopefully.

By the time I left the show last night the team seems to be well on schedule. The paving is nearing completion - just the tricky bits of cutting and grouting still to do. The edging is still to do. We use timber sleepers and paint them - grey this year to match the garden pavilion at the end of the diary room.

The Venetian palace is nearly there. The lads from Redwood stone just have the ramparts to complete. These are going to be rather fiddly to render, but both back and front will need it because they will be seen from nearly all angles. I must say this is a fantastic structure and I know it will attract a lot of attention at the show.

Kartika is vaguely in place but still under wraps. Her plinth still needs to be finished and I decided it was better to keep her blindfolded at this stage. I don't want her to be too upset by the apparent chaos around her at the moment. She's tried to improve the weather and we don't want things to go downhill again!

Tom Stogden's fabulous slate sculpture is in place between the birch trees. I think I may raise it on a short plinth so that we don't lose too much of it in the planting. The accompanying slate monoliths are still to be erected.

We had one delivery yesterday - mostly trees for other exhibits and our large cherries and the carpinus hedge which surrounds the diary room. The cherries have been in cold store and will open quickly now they are in the warm. They look fantastic and should cause quite a stir if they stay looking good. However I have to keep reminding myself that the show does not open until a week today.

For me today is about tying up loose ends back at base - however its quite hard to concentrate when you are thinking about what's going on in London. - not long now........

Just another manic Monday................

Just another manic Monday…………

Not the day I expected yesterday – drizzle for much of the day, the odd wave of warmth. Then late afternoon gentle rain for about an hour. I could feel the whole garden breathe a sigh of relief – by evening everything felt plumper, happier, you could almost see things growing. I did manage to evict some of the faded tulips and get some of the pots planted for summer. For one thing it’s the middle of May – but the main incentive was the thought of playing with colour – I suppose I am getting into Chelsea mode.

As with the exhibit, you start with a plant or two and the whole thing builds from there. Because some of the tulips are still in bloom they have influenced the colour scheme. I am very much in my orange and purple phase throughout the garden, and the pots are no exception. The deep red foliage of Acer ‘Fireglow’, a Chelsea veteran from 8 years ago, and still in the same pot looks great this year. I am really impressed by the resilience and tolerance of these purple leaved Acer palmatum varieties – anyone who fails with them kills them with kindness! Another favourite is Berberis ‘Admiration’. The fresh foliage on this compact, rounded little shrub glows flame, lovely with those tiny creamy yellow flowers. I grow it in a rounded dark red glazed pot – delicious! I’ve continued the orange theme with various variegated Zonal Pelargoniums such as ‘Vancouver’. These did brilliantly last year in spite of the weather. Purple nemesias, violas and osteospermums will take over from the purple tulips and a brilliant orange Diascia called ‘Pumpkin’ will intensify those fiery tones. Maybe this theme will carry on at Chelsea – could be Moroccan or Venetian – or maybe I’ll enter a new colour period and come home and change it all.

Primula ‘Francisca’ is a plant I found last year and am still madly in love with. Green with a lemon peel eye, each flower is pleated and ruffled. It flowers for ages and last season’s plants, still in their pots, are performing immaculately. We must grow this plant commercially next year – or do I really want other people to have it?

Monday Morning – clear, fresh and wonderful. On an early train to London with Chris for a day working on the exhibit. Am I excited? – Yes! That pre Chelsea exhaustion and weariness, that feeling of “Oh no – not again” has gone. The adrenalin has started to kick in – Let’s get the framework of this garden built; then we can get adventurous with plants.

Text from Neil last night – obviously pleased with the palace - If he is – I now I will be! They went to Benitos – Earls Court Road last night. The Hillier Chelsea restaurant – just like going home to the family – they are looking forward to seeing the team as much as we are looking forward to seeing them – It’s just another aspect of our emotional attachment to this crazy show!


Here's a few videos from today at the show

The paving....

The Trees ......

Tea break....................

A warmer weekend..........in London and Hampshire

The team on site on Friday From left to right: Nigel, Andy, Neil, Pete and Steve. I'm the lightweight at this stage - I get to go home at the end of the day! I'm no good at building anyway - but I am in it for the long haul later on!

They've just got a few tons of slabs to lay, two buildings to construct, a few walls, pools - that sort of thing - no problem!

Back in my Garden.............

While the construction team are busy on site I took the opportunity to catch up a bit in the garden. That's the worst aspect of Chelsea for me - it comes along when the garden should be looking its best and there is loads to do. The weeds grow before your very eyes, the tulips fade in the pots and need replacing, veggies need planting out and the grass grows despite lack of rain. Here in Hampshire we desperately need rain - a good steady rain overnight and nice warm sunny days - is that too much to ask for?

We've had a number of cold, frostly nights and last week they certainly took their toll in the garden. My beautiful fragrant white Wisteria is ruined, hostas have been knocked back and even the open blooms of rhododendrons are brown and spoiled. Sometimes gardening is a depressing process! I suppose that's the difference between a show garden and a real garden - A show garden has no weeds, no grass that needs cutting, plants don't die of hard winters and disease - It's a sort of fairytale world - somewhere over the rainbow!

I popped into the nursery on saturday morning to ssee Ricky - both of us are very glad to see some sunshine but those foxgloves still haven't moved and rosebuds are still very green - It is simply too cold at night and the pots take too long to warm up for growth to start early in the daytime.

In London everyone seems reasonably happy. The big trees arrived on site on Saturday morning along with help from Ben, Cat and Raf who went up to offload so that the construction team could keep building. Neil is a bit concerned that there is still all the paving to do and we may run out of time - in other words we'll need an extra day on construction. We will review that this evenin (Sunday). Ideally I like all the building work out of the way before the plants start to pour in, but we have worked both together before. We'll see what happens.

Anyway for me today, Sunday its back to the garden - I need to do about three week's gardening today..................Don't think I'll hit my deadline either.