Maytime in Mayfair - London in Bloom

Those Londoners who are fortunate enough to work in the West End or Westminster will enjoy walking a part of their way to or from work through Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park or St.James's Park. They will enjoy their lunchtime break watching the antics of the tame squirrels, birds that will eat crumbs from your hand and the nesting swans. The Chelsea Flower Show is the premier annual showcase for the 195 year old RHS and its members and affiliates. Over 700 growers and gardening specialists will be there to show off their talents in garden landscaping, or introduce their latest hybrids and plant varieties in a landscape of tranquil pools, waterfalls and alpine gardens. If a rose is to be named for the new Princess of Wales, it is here that it will be introduced to the world.

I am always amazed at the remarkable botanical wizardry of exhibitors who manage to coax all the seasons into one week, producing Spring, Summer and Autumn varieties in flower for that special week at Chelsea for our admiration. . New Year's snowdrops, spring narcissi and crocuses, fragrant summer roses, and autumn chrysanthemums bloom side by side to mock nature's seasons.

I myself look forward to seeing 2003 award winner Kate Frey's diversified and self-sustaining garden and agricultural system sponsored by Fetzer's Vineyards of Mendocino County, California.

She is making an ecological statement with her garden design, in the hope of inspiring British gardeners to encourage wildlife in their gardens and to use locally adapted plants and cover crops to feed the soil and provide better habitat for beneficial insects and birds.

While she has stocked a "wildflower meadow" with mostly British varieties, she has added warm climate crops such as can be seen in Northern California; grape vines, olive trees and and lavender. She has also included a wetland area comprising a pond featuring such bog plants as marsh marigold, creeping Jenny and greater spearwort and bounded her exhibit with climbers such as honeysuckle, clematis and climbing roses.

The Chelsea Royal Hospital and gardens is of course home to the 500 or so Chelsea Pensioners. This Royal retirement home of great architectural dignity was built between 1681-1691 by Sir Christopher Wren for his patron King Charles II. The airy Great Hall is well worth a visit at another time when you are in London. ,p>

I have now retired to the Isle of Wight. I invite you to