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Garden Inspiration From Chelsea Flower Show 2009

May 18, 2009

All Week…right here…scouring the internet for the most fun and interesting Chelsea Flower Show pictures and tidbits.

The fairly controversial Plasticine garden by James May.

the plasticine plastic garden chelsea flower show images 2009

I am watching twitter moment by moment to see James Alexander Sinclair’s coverage of the queens visit. I have no idea why I care about all this so much!

I am forever fascinated by the vegetable displays at Chelsea and this radish topiary lives up to all my expectations.

radish topiary banned gnomes the garden chelsea flower show images 2009

Show garden designed by Paul Stone of the Eden Project called The Key, designed to echo the life journeys that people make chelsea flower show 2009

images via the daily mail.

I am intrigued by the painted posts in this Show garden designed by Paul Stone of the Eden Project.  Called ‘The Key’, it is designed to echo the life journeys that people make.

from the Star Tribune:
87444678OS005_FINAL_PREPARA
Not sure I care much for the garden above, but I love this:

Beatlemania erupted at London’s Chelsea Flower Show on Monday as Ringo Starr rolled up in a gaudily painted Mini to join George Harrison’s widow for the opening of a garden inspired by the “quiet Beatle.”
Photographers swarmed around as Starr drove up in the Mini decorated with symbols of the Hindu faith that Harrison embraced.
“Peace and love,” Starr said as he kissed Olivia Harrison on each cheek.

The press stunts are so fun!

Apparently there is a little bit of controversy…no gnomes – in fact one display had theirs (a supposed lucky charm) taken away, while another entire show garden is made of plastic….hmmm…these Chelsea folks take themselves very seriously, but I think they need make sure their high brow ambitions don’t stifle progress.

Don’t get me wrong, I am NOT defending gnomes, but it reminds me of when I submitted a design for a show garden at Chelsea and when reading through the rules I was surprised to see that there was a specific rule that stated that Crushed CD’s were not allowed in your show garden.

Really? It always strikes me odd to make such specific and reactive rules for a design show. Years later I still find this a little conflicted. This is the Garden Design equivalent of a designer fashion show right? The show is as much about ideas and concepts as it is about real working solutions. Things have to be adapted from the runway to everyday and whose to say what makes good taste?

I guess the Chelsea people.

What I am trying to saying is, I don’t envy the very thin line that I think they are walking. What do you think?

I once lived near the Chelsea Grounds, and I loved how the whole neighborhood got in on the action. Like this display in a local shop.

chelsea flower show 2009 local sloan square window display flower wig

Awards tomorrow and more to come as I unearth it…

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  1. This is a beautiful post with thought provoking commentary. I think you are right when questioning some of the guidelines. It’s quite odd that some of the rules are so specific. Something tells me that next years guidelines will include, right after the “no crushed cd’s”, “no plasticine flowers”. One can only hope!

    Tricia – Avolli

  2. gillian ware says:

    Hi Rochelle, I was just writing a post about you and your Virginia bluebells, and remembering seeing from your info that you had designed for the Chelsea Flower Show, decided to link it to that (I SO wanted to go again this year but everything is working against it)- low and behold! after I had written it, I was checking the link to your blog and there was your post including James May too! Not really surprizing I suppose! I also loved your post about that designer doing a female-Gaudi-Parc Guell-garden…I have got very behindhand with my blog, having been catching up on work- puppet making this time!

  3. Hi Rochelle,
    How exciting to be at Chelsea. Maybe next year. Thanks for bringing the “action” via your blog. I’ll check in again tomorrow. Great photos.
    Shirley Bovshow

  4. michelle d. says:

    I sooooo LOVE the radish topiary.
    Must make one this summer !

  5. louise garwood says:

    Hey! Great post! Check out Crocus uk they have nice shots of building the gardens , before and afters etc-
    http://www.crocus.co.uk/
    Wow!

  6. I am a Chelsea junkie. Please continue to feed my habit!

  7. Ann Marie says:

    The radish topiary is too fun!

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