If my blog did not already have a title, ‘The Diary of a Plant Addict’ would be a strong candidate. I’ve had the most horticulturally indulgent week one could imagine, starting with the Chelsea Flower Show and ending with a three day stretch getting my own garden in shape for summer. In the middle came visits to three of England’s finest gardens. How lucky am I? However, I’ve purchased plants or bulbs every single day for a ten day stretch and it’s starting to get expensive …. not to mention creating a lot of additional work and space anxiety.
Here’s what I’ve been up to and what I’ve added to my collection at The Watch House over the last week or so.
Tuesday 21st May – The RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Helen of Oz and I meet just after 7.30am under the magnolias outside Sloane Square underground station. A few minutes later we join the throng at the gates to the Chelsea Flower Show and make a beeline for the densely shaded Artisan Gardens, where awards are already being presented. In the distance a loud cheer and clapping can be heard, a sure sign that Kazuyuki Ishihara has won another gold medal, this time for his contemporary ‘Green Switch’ garden.
Someone certainly had flipped the green switch at Chelsea this year. Several gardens were dominated by the verdure which is so prevalent in our country during May. Greens are refreshing, restful, infinitely varied and easy on the eye, creating a strong feeling of calm and restraint.
2019 felt like a mature, grown-up Chelsea, but not a vintage one in my opinion. Lots of the show gardens sought to highlight environmental challenges or mimic natural habitats. There was very little frivolity or technology this time around. This made for a strong and pleasing set of show gardens, but provided less to fuel my imagination than I had hoped for. The show felt unusually busy and our overall experience was marred by an excessive amount of filming and recording, which meant many gardens and exhibits could not be appreciated fully without a second or third pass. Increasingly I feel the best way to experience Chelsea is by watching coverage on the television. Perhaps next year I will do just that and forego the hefty entrance fee.
We start on the rosé at 10.30 and meet friends at intervals throughout the day, making it feel like a very social occasion. I am glad that I took a small step back from from my usual scrutiny as this certainly enhanced my Chelsea experience. I apologise to those of you who would have appreciated more detail from me – it might still come if I can find the time over the coming weeks.
My favourite gardens? The Trailfinders Undiscovered Latin America Garden designed by Jonathan Snow and the Dubai Majlis Garden designed by Thomas Hoblyn. Both gardens sought to evoke regions of the world I am not familiar with and did so with conviction and panache. Andy Sturgeon and Chris Beardshaw pulled off incredibly intricate and beautiful gardens, reminding us all what quality looks like when it comes to garden design.
The Damage:
- 6 x Lilium ‘Nymph’
- 6 x Lilium ‘Kaveri
N.B. I recommend buying lily bulbs at RHS shows and planting them immediately in order to enjoy a succession of blooms throughout the year. Those purchased at Chelsea will flower in July or August, whilst those purchased at Hampton Court will bloom in September or October.
Wednesday 22nd May – The Salutation
We rise late, having had an arduous journey from London to Broadstairs with five suitcases and numerous smaller bags in tow. (If anyone needs material for a comedy sketch, I will gladly avail you of the details of our journey. It was more fun to watch than to participate in.) We take a leisurely stroll around town and I buy cushions. At least they are not plants, but they do bear a floral design featuring marigolds, roses and violas.
We are blessed with beautiful weather all week; not warm by Helen of Oz’s standards, but dry and sunny. Arriving at Sandwich by train we breathe in the town’s quaint Englishness en route to The Salutation, where we enjoy a leisurely lunch and yet more rosé. We are already establishing our routine for the week. The gardens at The Salutation, where Head Gardener Steve Edney works his magic, are brimming with life. The borders are at that spine-tingling tipping point, lightly sprinkled with colour before they explode into summer exuberance.
The Damage
- 1 x Anisodontea ‘El Rayo’ (a particularly pretty and delicate mallow)
- 1 x Persicaria ‘Purple Fantasy’ (I killed the last one)
Thursday 23rd May – Sissinghurst Castle
Having picked up the hire car we bowl through the Weald of Kent towards Sissinghurst. We know to expect crowds as the weather is good and the garden is eternally popular. Somehow the hoards seem lesser within the boundaries of the garden, perhaps because of the walls and yew hedges that create Sissinghurst’s famous ‘rooms’. The result of projects to restore the garden’s ‘gay abandon’ and original planting are plain to see. There are roses and bearded irises everywhere one looks, whilst cow parsley foams through perennials that are slower to get going. It is all very pretty and very well done, as always.
What one-time visitors miss is just how much has changed in recent years, with the opening of the Cutting Garden and Little North Garden, the extension of the Nuttery, restoration of the Sunken Garden and replanting of the Moat Walk. Despite being a garden of enormous historical and cultural importance, Sissinghurst never stands still and always looks immaculate. That’s a credit to the National Trust and Head Gardener Troy Scott-Smith who is soon to take up a new post at Iford Manor in Wiltshire. What an incredible legacy he leaves behind him.
The biggest change at Sissinghurst, and perhaps the most significant since Harold Nicholson handed it over to the National Trust in 1967, is the reimagining of Delos, an area of the garden that Vita and Harold hoped would remind them of visits to Greece. Unusually for this expert pair, they never quite managed to pull the idea off. Under the guidance of Landscape Architect Dan Pearson, the majority of what was planted here, which one might best describe as ‘nice but nothingy’, has been removed to make way for a new layout and planting which might finally transport visitors to the Cyclades. It’s a brave move but a commendable one. I’m incredibly excited to see the result on a future visit as I know it’s going to appeal to me and add a new dimension to my experience. Projects like Delos do not come along often in a garden such as Sissinghurst, ensuring the new Head Gardener will have an opportunity to make her or his mark over the coming years.
The Damage
- 1 x Paeonia ‘Garden Treasure’ – an Itoh peony with double yellow blooms.
- 2 x Lavandula multifida.
- 1 x Lophospermum ‘Magic Dragon’.
Friday 24th May – Great Dixter
We could not decide whether Helen of Oz had been to Great Dixter before, or not. I thought she had, she thought she hadn’t. Turns out I was wrong. The route to Dixter from Broadstairs is similar to that taken to reach Sissinghurst, but we are diverted down a network of narrow lanes owing to an accident at Rolvenden. It is so tempting to marvel at the beauty of the countryside that I must concentrate on not driving us into a ditch. Car hire companies are not sympathetic about such things.
Dixter is already busy when we arrive, shortly after opening. There are scores of coaches spewing out foreign visitors on organised garden tours. I wonder what they make of our gardens, since few give much away in their facial expressions. I should probably just ask. We are bowled over by everything at Dixter; the nursery, the pot groupings, the intricacy and skill of the planting, the vegetable garden, the meadows and, oh, the marvellous weather. No garden provides me with more inspiration than Great Dixter. I come away wanting to throw everything up in the air and start again.
The Damage
- 3 x Actaea simplex ‘Brunette’
- 3 x Mathiasella bupleuroides ‘Green Dream’
- 3 x Persicaria alpina
- Clematis ‘Margaret Hunt’
- Clematis ‘John Huxtable’
Saturday 25th May & Sunday 26th May – The Watch House
Helen of Oz departs from The Watch House at 4am, in time to catch a flight to Dubai. I am sad to say goodbye as I know it will be another two years before we get to do this again. It is already getting light and the dawn chorus has begun. As the taxi departs I take a few moments to peruse the garden and I spot my first lily beetle. I thought I might have escaped this nuisance for a year, but obviously not. I have a lot of lilies this year so I will need to be vigilant.
All week Dave the Carpenter has been working on the replacement of the boundary fences in the Gin & Tonic Garden. It’s gone smoothly, unless you are one of the clematis that was growing up the fence previously. These poor plants are now in various states of disarray and will probably need a belated ‘Chelsea Chop’ to help them recover. All week I’ve been moving pots around to keep them out of harm’s way, but it’s not a pretty sight.
The back of my raised beds needed some major attention, so that was Sunday’s job. I fed and mulched the merging colocasias and gingers (all overwintered successfully outside) and planted the hoard purchased from Great Dixter, along with one or two other acquisitions. Feeling the urge to do something creative, I planted a bowl with bromeliads, salvias, sempervivums and black petunias to adorn the garden table for at least the first part of summer. The gardens at Miami’s Vizcaya Museum inspired me to be much braver and more experimental with my planting, so we’ll see how this combination performs in an altogether cooler climate. Afterwards I spent a happy half-hour wiring my airplants into the Japanese olive tree (Phillyrea latifolia). They were not looking at all happy indoors and will hopefully benefit from the shade and humidity they’ll enjoy under the tree’s canopy.
Today is for tying up loose ends and reflecting on a week packed with flowers, friendship and plant shopping opportunities. I’m intoxicated by all the wonders I’ve seen and bursting with inspiration. At the same time I’m ready to return to work for a ‘rest’. Everyone should take a week off to visit gardens and get their plant fix …. and if you can do it with a friend, all the better. TFG.
Categories: Chelsea flower show, Climbers, Container gardening, Flower Shows, Flowers, Foliage, Garden Design, Kentish Gardens, Large Gardens, open gardens, Perennials, Photography, Planting Design, Plants, Trees and Shrubs, Weather
Such refreshing sites. Love all the flowers. Thanks for sharing them 🙂
What a great week! Good for you! I loved reading the succinct descriptions and your shopping achievements- fascinating….do it all again please!
And how lucky am I to have a such a wonderful plantaholic friend who is such a beautiful writer and captures the moments of our horti indulgence so well….thanks so much Dan – what a wonderful week it was – so many fabulous memories for us to treasure forever – my little insta post I was going to do will pale in insignificance compared to this prose masterpiece. My gardening club (and my mum!!) will thank you greatly after I ‘cheat’ and give them this to post in the newsletter! xxxxx
Lovely post and photo of you and Helen.
I always look forward to your Chelsea Garden Show posts, Dan, since no way will I ever be able to do the tour, myself. Right away, I was impressed by the Savills and David Harber Garden, but my favorite is the long bordered view toward The Salutation. How soothing the axial is to the eyes! Thank you.
What a blast! A whole week of plant romance. I think you did quite well with not bringing back even more what with all the inspiration you saw. I love all those pots at Dixter. I see that they don’t have the pots raised for drainage. They must have a secret to keep them dry. You are so eloquent, I enjoyed every syllable
Brill. That is my idea of a perfect week.
Dixter always makes me want to come home “to rip it up and start again “.
It’s tough having friends, or in my case family, down under. A memorable trip for you both.
It was indeed. Garden visits are always enhanced by having a fellow enthusiast by your side. I also have a pretty good knowledge of what will grow in Melbourne and what will not after hours of asking ‘do you grow that at home?’
Thank you for the very soothing virtual wander through Chelsea and the other beautiful gardens, a most welcome reprieve from the batterings of the angry political situation at the moment and as usual written with your very lovely writing style. Interesting to note your impression of crowded and busy Chelsea. It always looks that way over the shoulders of Monty Don and Joe Swift as they present the television coverage with a heaving throng of people milling about behind them. Feet up with a glass of wine and watch it at home could well be better 😊
It is just as heaving as it appears! I have learnt to be more patient as the years have gone by, but I really missed being able to take a sneak peek on Monday, as I did last year. Its impossible to spend more than a minute or two looking at each garden when the show is open and that makes it hard to make a detailed assessment.
Thanks for reminding me that I really must rewind and watch the TV coverage now that I’m back at work.
There is too much news about this Chelsea Flower Show. It is interesting and spectacular, but I think that home gardens are more interesting and more important.
It’s perhaps inevitable given how prestigious the show is, but nothing beats returning home to one’s own garden and getting stuck in!
It’s lovely to follow your two friends’ trip. The irises particularly captured my eye – there’s something very classic about their colours and forms. Great Dixter is still languishing on my to-visit list. Perhaps this year!
Yes, don’t put it off, Go! I might do a longer post about Dixter if I get time, but first I want to write about the Delos development at Sissinghurst.
I took so many iris photographs last week. They are very photogenic but goodness knows what I am going to do with them all!
You’ll find a home for them, I’m sure.
There are times of the year when it’s natural to focus more on taking photos than sharing them, especially when you have the chance to visit several places in a few days.
Very true!! I am struggling simply to find time to file them.
What a brilliant time you had! I have a sudden attack of unbounded jealousy. But you managed to somehow kill a Persicaria “PF”? There ought to be some award for that achievement.
It’s unusual, I’ll admit, but I neglected it thinking it would be as tough as old boots and it wasn’t. Mind you, I need to maintain a certain mortality rate in order to make room for incoming plants. In this case I feel I must try again. If I can grow slipper orchids I must be able to keep a persicaria alive, surely?
We have been developing a “victorian hot” border in our garden and having persuaded the husband that we should include begonias and agreeing that The Frustrated Gardener could be relied upon for inspiration, I have been looking out for Glowing Embers. Despite visiting several nurseries recently and returning with many additions..Glowing Embers has been mysteriously missing. Imagine my joy whilst doing my weekly shop to spy it in the display at my local Waitrose.
We did wonder whether you have been influencing the plant buying team ? and whether some of your other favourites may appear !
Alas no, my influence does not extend that far! However, I think the reason you may not have seen many begonias early on is that the spring has been very cool and the plants have been slow to develop. They are in the garden centres now, but my local nursery has struggled to bring them on any faster …. and no ‘Glowing Embers’ yet, although all three of mine came through winter unscathed.
Waitrose have some great plants, especially if you can catch them when they are freshly delivered into the shop.
What a fantastic week you have had, visiting two of my favourite gardens (Sissinghurst and Dixter) AND the Salutation. Not so bothered about Chelsea, it looks too crowded for my liking and none of the gardens really stood out for me this year though I did like the pale yellow lupin and pale yellow foxglove pairing. I also love your iris shot. Time to consider another holiday in Kent I think 🙂
Definitely! It’s the second best county after Cornwall 😉
You should offer to volunteer for the RHS and then you get into the show multiple times to really savour the gardens. Plus it’s good fun.
I know, I should, but when I did judging last year it used up such a lot of holiday that I couldn’t do it again. Perhaps when I have fewer responsibilities …. will that moment ever come I wonder?
Monty don flashed a picture of some stunning navy iris on the yorshire garden. I don’t supposed you picked up what they were did you? I seem to have developed an iris adition ………. 🙂
addiction….see it’s so bad I can’t even type!
Irises are beautiful but they are just too fleeting for my garden. I need plants that work a little bit harder and that can tolerate some shade. If I had the space I would have a nice big border of bearded irises basking in the sun.
Tabula Rasa – I read your comment just as I was looking at a pile of plant lists picked up at Chelsea last week. Straight to the Yorkshire Garden booklet for me then where I find that the only iris listed is Iris ‘Tropic Night’. Sounds like that’s the one. Hope you can track it down because it sounds gorgeous. Ceri
So happy for you and Helen to have some ‘plant time’! Thanks for giving us a peek at your wonderful time together.
It’s was our pleasure!
I’m so glad someone else liked the Dubai Majlis garden at Chelsea. I loved it but it didn’t seem to catch the public’s attention.
I don’t know why either. The lock, however masterfully represented, wasn’t a garden and nor was it an unfamiliar sight. Yet that’s what a lot of people wanted to see. As my grandparents used to say ‘there’s nowt so queer as folk’!