It's the early bird that gets the best view at Chelsea.
Post categories: Sally Nex
| 11:40 UK time, Tuesday, 20 May 2008
The crowds are building fast now and by 9.00am they were already three deep around the most popular show gardens. It's the early bird that gets the best view at Chelsea.
Today, of course, was medals day, so most of the designers are looking a little dazed and overcome. Those who feel more disappointed are making themselves scarce - this is the hardest cut of all, when you've spent every ounce of strength on creating the perfect garden, only to have the judges give it a lesser medal than you'd hoped for.
For the moment, though, it's the turn of the winners to celebrate - and they are celebrating, everywhere. The Aussies are in the middle of a full-blown party on their meticulously crafted Flemings & Trailfinders Garden, which won a well-deserved gold. I couldn't help noticing that one of them was sitting with a glass of champagne and his feet up on the table they were polishing so carefully on Sunday.
Adam Frost, another gold medal winner who also won Best Small Garden, told me he had to take himself off around the showground on a walk this morning to convince himself he wasn't dreaming - if he came back and his medal was still there, he would know it was true.
He invited me on to his exquisite little garden to take a closer look - a real privilege for us reporters, as you get to see the garden from an entirely different angle and notice all those extra details you'd otherwise miss. I got the chance to do the same thing with Tom Stuart-Smith on his subtle garden for Laurent-Perrier: it's one of those gardens where you see more, the more you look, and he gave me a master class on the use of foliage in design just by talking me through what he'd put in a single corner. I'd spotted him earlier taking snaps of his own garden, spotting invisible imperfections to put right later - in a show like this, such meticulous attention to detail at all times is what separates the outstanding from the merely very good indeed.
Adam Frost, another gold medal winner who also won Best Small Garden, told me he had to take himself off around the showground on a walk this morning to convince himself he wasn't dreaming - if he came back and his medal was still there, he would know it was true.
He invited me on to his exquisite little garden to take a closer look - a real privilege for us reporters, as you get to see the garden from an entirely different angle and notice all those extra details you'd otherwise miss. I got the chance to do the same thing with Tom Stuart-Smith on his subtle garden for Laurent-Perrier: it's one of those gardens where you see more, the more you look, and he gave me a master class on the use of foliage in design just by talking me through what he'd put in a single corner. I'd spotted him earlier taking snaps of his own garden, spotting invisible imperfections to put right later - in a show like this, such meticulous attention to detail at all times is what separates the outstanding from the merely very good indeed.
Comment number 1.
At 21st May 2008, goldDelighted wrote:How can they create such a garden in just seven days?
These wonderful artists with their gifted ways?
These gardeners deserve their certificates of bronze, silver and gold;
Having given us such sights to please young and old.
To be able to plant and arrange, or build paths and walls;
With showers of flowers and rushing waterfalls.
Oh! Chelsea 2008 you've done it again in your fortieth year;
The News is so bleak but you bring us good cheer.
How lucky to visit and wander around -
Thank you ´óÏó´«Ã½ for your expert sight and sound.
We'll remember it all from day one to seven;
All's right with the World as the Chelsea Flower Show is our piece of Heaven.
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