My first blog! A visit to the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show..
I was thrilled recently to attend the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Hampton Court Flower Show or to be accurate, ….I was thrilled to attend the (RHS) Hampton Court Garden Festival. And whilst sometimes I feel a name change makes little difference, in this case it does. The event focussed less on the show gardens and more on the specialist garden talks and community gardening, which to be honest I found a little disappointing.
Those of you who have heard my talks in the past will have heard me extol the virtues of Hampton Court Flower Show, the venue of course is stunning but the key thing for me is the broad open spaces that make visiting just so much more comfortable than attending Chelsea Flower Show, and until now I have always stated that the garden quality is comparable. However, this year, I’m afraid the difference between the number and quality of gardens between the two shows has significantly increased.
There are some incredibly talented designers creating gardens for Hampton Court but I suspect, they just don’t have the same budget as a Chelsea exhibit and that is obvious in the size of the gardens and diversity of plant material (or lack thereof). The gardens are generally smaller in size and don’t create the dramatic impact I look for in a Show Display Garden. However, on a positive point of view, I would say they are a lot more achievable for those seeking inspiration for their own gardens.
Hampton Court Garden Festival this year, is ideal for those who have an interest and want to build their knowledge of gardening, their were some fantastic speakers lined up to inspire on talks from ‘Health and wellbeing’ to ‘Floral Fabulousness’, also included were some delightful allotment gardens showing how to achieve the very best of a small space. And as a ‘shopaholic’ I can speak happily recommend visiting to do a little shopping including some lovely artisan retailers in the Country Living Marquee. In fact, I got a little carried away with some pretty pottery flowers that will go proudly on display once I am back home (I promise to post a picture!).
Below I have posted a few of my favourite pictures from Hampton Court Garden Festival.
The perfect setting! Home of King Henry VIII – Hampton Court Palace
A Place to Meet, was designed by Cherry Carman and achieved a Silver Medal. Cherry designed this garden to show how to fuse the hard lines of contemporary construction with soft waves of naturalistic planting. It reveals how small spaces can be modern and functional, while beneficial to nature. I personally enjoyed the natural, simple planting and thought the finishing extremely good.
Another Silver Medal winner, this garden was designed by Rose McMonigall – The Dreams of the Indianos. According to the designer this garden is based on the lives of the Indianos, emigrants from North Spain at the end of the 19th century. The colour scheme is to celebrate the exotic, with different textures of green and occasional flashes of colour. At the same time, traditional trees and shrubs add romantic tones, with glossy-leaved camellias and dark yews, atmospheric, deciduous trees, with daubs of nostalgic blue, mophead hydrangeas. Of course models in stunning costumes always attract both the public and media – plus visitors from NZ, hence my inclusion of this picture!
I’m sure Viking Cruises were happy to sponsor this Gold Medal winning garden designed by Will Williams. Lagom Garden designed as a space in which to relax, entertain and have all the comforts of a contemporary garden while keeping nature in mind. The inspiration comes from the idea of ‘lagom’, which means not too much, not too little, but perfectly balanced. This was my personal favourite at the flower show, lovely to see colour back in the plantings and I would love a garden room like this in my home!
And the thought of all that colour has inspired my next two pictures, these are of display areas created by the nurseries selling plants at the show – I just wish I could have brought a few home with me!
This garden was originally displayed at Chelsea Flower Show and therefore wasn’t judged – plus how do you judge a Royals garden? As a judge I know I wouldn’t want to offend 😊! Designed by HRH The Duchess of Cambridge (Kate) Adam White, and Andree Davies The RHS Back to Nature Garden found a new home at Hampton Court, the garden is designedto encourage families and communities to engage with nature and spend time in the great outdoors, the garden included with features such as a waterfall, wildflower meadow, rolling hill and summer planting. The picture below is taken of the Chelsea garden, but Prince George and Princess Charlotte look so gorgeous I had to include it!
I’d love to hear what you think of the pictures and the blog – as mentioned earlier, this is my first and I do tend to be a bit verbose! Have I gone on too long? Is there any further information you would like? I am also developing presentations based around my trip to the UK, so I promise another blog or two in the near future!