Chelsea Flower Show 2001

After one of the wet and muddiest British winters ever many gardeners could be excused for being less than enthusiastic about their gardens at the moment. Now the sun is shining again, however, and what could be more inspiring than a trip to the Chelsea Flower Show.

From the wealth of floral delights in the Flower Pavilions it was impossible to guess that many nurseries had spent the winter battling against mud and rain to tend their plant charges. Avon Bulbs won a well-deserved gold medal for their beautiful display of bulbs. The picture here shows Tulipa whittallii (top left) which is about 10" tall and flowers in April/May. Avon Bulbs recommend it is planted deeply and kept warm and dry in summer. Bottom right is the lovely Muscari comosum plumosum, an attractive fluffy form of the common Grape Hyacinth. Again about 10" tall and flowering in May/June. Bottom left is Anemone blanda 'White Splendour' - 5" tall, flowering in February/March and most suitable for warm soils.

Another star of the Avon Bulbs stand was a range of dainty Dahlias. One of the most distinctive is Dark Desire with dark chocolate purple petals surronding golden yellow stamens supported on dark wiry stems. Thankfully, British nurseries are finally catching up with American ones and putting their catalogues online - Avon Bulbs is at http://www.avonbulbs.co.uk

Unfortunately the trend has not spread to all the plant nurseries, as Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants do not yet seem to have a website, but this did not stop them displaying a beautiful collection of herbaceous plants and grasses which earned them a silver-gilt award. The photo here shows an inspired mixture of Angelica, Miscanthus, Cirsium and Verbascum. The white flower at the bottom is Orleya grandiflora.

The mixture of grasses and herbaceous perennials was a feature of the Laurent-Perrier Harpers & Queen Garden. The garden features a central terrace made, in the minimalist architectural style, from soft red sandstone which is reached by two planks of contrasting hard limestone paving. The garden is enclosed by pollarded limes and a concrete wall, and the rest of the area is filled with wild meadow planting.

Johnny Woodford and Cleve West created a dramatic Garden for Learning, which was designed to be located within a school, hospital or office, to provide a restful but inspiring space conducive to teaching, learning, quiet reading and contemplation. The focal point of the garden is a large charcoal globe (see photo) which the designers describe as being 'non-specific sculpture which allows interpretation on the part of the onlooker'. I must say that I interpreted it as looking like a gently steaming dinosaur dropping! The steaming water effect was present in a couple of other show gardens, and is created by a little ultrasound gadget.

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