Wee Birdy

Chelsea Flower Show: the spoils of the sell-off

Here are the bountiful diascias I spotted on display in the Great Pavilion on the last day of the Chelsea Flower Show. Having fully expected the 4pm sell-off to resemble some kind of elbows-grazing, crazed free-for-all, I was quietly surprised to discover you could reserve plants at some stalls earlier in the day.

Happily for me, there were a few diascias, fuschias and orchids available when I traipsed through at about 1pm - but the majority had already been sold. (Tip for next year: head straight to the Great Pavilion on the last day to get first dibs on the choicest blooms). So when the Chelsea pensioners rang the bell at 4pm, there was a genteel round of applause as everyone lined up in a calm, orderly fashion with their tickets in hand.

Following the flower-laden crowd on the long walk back...

I just managed to peep over my enormous tub of dascias as I headed out towards Sloan Square tube, but not before being accosted by Alan Titchmarsh and a BBC TV crew who exclaimed in a rather bawdy manner, "My, aren't those big?" (Though I was secretly quite chuffed that Alan admired my flowers.)

Here they are in their new home on my balcony. Following instructions from the diascia dude, I gave them a haircut over the weekend. Hopefully the gorgeous peachy flowers will spring back soon.

A week of flowers: Chelsea Flower Show

With more magnificent blooms from Chelsea Flower Show on Saturday, this could quite easily become "two weeks of flowers" ...

I really loved this old-fashioned display of daffodils - apparently the guy has been attending the show for thirty-odd years and has as many awards under his belt. I was also amazed by the sheer variety of daffodils.

Heavenly scents (and the most perfect, old-fashioned English roses) from the David Austin stand...

and James May's plasticine garden (with plasticine ladybirds and clever cauliflowers) ...

 

A week of flowers: Chelsea Flower Show

Chelsea was a-buzzing yesterday with the most gloriously fat bumblebees. Check out this wee chubber with his powdery yellow pollen sack.

David Austin rose, Pimms in the sun and a Chelsea Pensioner, just some of the grand visions from the Chelsea Flower Show.

Vertical planting was a big trend this year. Loved this living tower with drought-resistant plants from the Future Nature garden, which also included a vibrant wildflower meadow, butterfly mounds and insect towers.

A week of flowers: Chelsea Flower Show

London turned on the most magnificent May bank holiday weekend weather for the last day of the Chelsea Flower Show yesterday. And I'm exhausted but very happy after a day of wandering around magnificent show gardens and inspecting the most perfect blooms - not to mention scoring BIG TIME when the Chelsea pensioners rang the bells for the 4pm sell-off. So much fun. I'll be posting some of my highlights over the next couple of days.

In the meantime, check out my favourite garden at the show, the HESCO garden, from Leeds City Council. A tiny patch of the Yorkshire dales in Chelsea, the lush cottage garden featured a stone potters shed amongst the most gorgeous pastel blooms and a meandering collection pond, for excess rainwater (flash flooding being a timely local concern).

A week of flowers: Chelsea Flower Show

Been meaning to post about this lily-of-the-valley posy I bought from a flower stall on Earlham Street a couple of weeks ago. It was only two quid, and looked super-sweet in this ceramic paper bag vase (a birdy birthday present from my dear friend Gemma).