CHELSEA FLOWER POWER

I thoroughly enjoyed my annual visit to Chelsea Flower Show on the VIP Day again this week.

It is one of the highlights of my year; I feel so lucky to be able to walk around enjoying the gardens instead of working in them and being responsible for them!

This year’s Show was billed to be “bigger and better” than ever, especially after last year’s lack of Show Gardens, but I think it was nicely subdued, almost peaceful – although I’m sure that wasn’t the case for the rest of the week.

The weather was great, and had been good for the 19-day garden builds, and although tired the designers were in good spirit.

There was the continued emphasis on wellbeing and the health benefits of gardening and an air of romance, no doubt enhanced by the Royal Wedding.

For the first time in Chelsea history, there were an equal number of female designers as male, which may explain the more “feminine” planting schemes.

The planting was definitely my favourite of recent years.

It was soft and informal with drifts of perennials amongst wildflowers and even long grass.

It was not unlike my own garden, where I adopt the “stick it in and hope it comes” planting scheme, so I felt strangely “on trend”, for the first time.

Purples and oranges were apparently the colour trend, always a nice mellow mix, and the steel structures, straight lines and topiary had made way for billowy planting, curves and even a tree house with a slide.

I was impressed by the Wahun Water Garden with its show-stopping water feature and also the Pearlfisher’s Garden and its message about plastic in the ocean.

The Yorkshire Garden seemed to be the most popular amongst the celebrities and everyone commented on their preference for the relaxed, informal planting.

As always the Artisan Gardens were beautiful, and I absolutely love the statuary and garden furniture stands.

Spending most of my time in beautiful gardens, albeit working hard to keep them that way, I think the highlight of the Show for me is the furniture and statuary – I have a Wish List that includes a huge outdoor beanbag and swinging hammock seat.

All I’ll need then is time to sit in them!