Tales from Titchmarsh

As flower show season comes to an end, Alan likens a good show to a good film, but would Quentin Tarantino be able to organise one?

Why a flower show is like a good film

What makes a good flower show? You might just as well ask what makes a good film, since the complexities are of a similar nature. While a film needs good characters and a gripping storyline, a flower show is more than just a collection of prizewinning blooms in a tent and a handful of glamorous gardens outdoors. It needs atmosphere, spectacle, an interesting but practical layout, adequate access, good catering, well… the list goes on. It’s probably easier to make a good film than a good flower show, but don’t tell that to Quentin Tarantino or there’ll be blood on the lawn, never mind the carpet. Nowadays we have dozens of shows to choose from. Each of us will have our favourites. The Royal Horticultural Society runs the lion’s share of them from Chelsea and Hampton Court to Malvern, Tatton and the newcomer at Chatsworth, which, after a few teething problems in this, its first year, promises to become a welcome fixture. Local flower shows such as Harrogate and Blenheim are also a draw and the fact that they are matchless places for plant shopping, make them a great day out. BBC Gardeners’ World Live has its own character, and while it may not have a lavish palace as its backdrop, there is an energy about it. It is peopled by ‘proper gardeners’ rather than being an event in the social calendar. I’ve been going to Chelsea and loving it since the late 1960s. It is still the showcase for the best in horticulture and garden design, but on the Gala evening on the Monday night many seem to be more interested in champagne than the horticulture around them. The stall-holders do little trade on the Monday but, by all accounts, more big deals are struck that evening by city movers and shakers than on any other day of the year. If all of this helps with funding the show then so be it. And what about the gardens? For many visitors, and TV viewers, they are what a show is all about, and the question of what makes a good show garden is tortuous to say the least! They must be well executed, of course, but they should also offer something to the viewer, be it inspiration, astonishment, delight. Then there’s the expertise and goodies from the country’s finest specialist nurserymen. Those of a more practical turn of mind like to look at mowers, tools and equipment and those lovely things called ‘sundries’, provided they have a distinct horticultural connection. Go too far down that route with bits of assorted tat and you can end up with stalls that would not be out of place in a second-rate street market. Catering needs to offer wholesome, reasonably-priced food, as well as the champagne and smoked salmon bars and burger vans. Variety as well as quality are the keys here. Good loos (vital), a simple layout (to avoid unnecessary traipsing about), a basic map (rather then a hefty catalogue) and plenty of places to sit are other vital ingredients. So, as we approach the end of the showing season, I hope that the organisers will sit down and consider what worked and what needs to be improved for next year. Staging a flower show is no mean feat, and organisers must ensure that they continue to deliver for both visitors and nurserymen alike, for it is they who are at the heart of our flower shows and who make them the delight they undoubtedly are.

Staging a flower show is no mean feat, and organisers must ensure that they continue to deliver for both visitors and nurserymen alike