GOING GLOBAL FOR BLOOMS, FLORAL ARTISTS &
GARDENS
- · The Chelsea Flower Show, London
- · A rooftop bar garden in London owned by Richard Branson.
- · Sculptors at Chelsea
The Chelsea
Flower Show is one of the world’s best treats on offer if you love gardens and
flowers. This was my second visit ever, the last time being on my Arts and
garden Tour to London, Paris, Florence and Rome about seven years ago memories
of which still inspire me today.
This time
round I travelled independently to my own schedule. I pre-purchased two tickets
online from home about six weeks before the trip. At the Chelsea I presented my
print out and was given our tickets. Easy!
All our
flight and hotels were booked by Karen Caba who is an Aussie working from
Chicago. Karen’s business is ECM Travel Management and the beauty of having
Karen book your tickets is once again it can be done from the lap top in the
evening due to the time difference. We booked everything just few weeks before
we left. Everything was great. Thanks Karen.
I was
accompanied by gorgeous 14 year old daughter Lily, pre-warning her I would be
taking as long as I liked, and that this was a rare treat for me, so absolutely
no hassling mum! Actually she was a very patient angel even taking up a second
camera to help with capturing the exquisite overload of flower reference before
us. She was delighted to find new
treasures to lead me to. I had the perfect companion.
The garden
displays are always a delight. Inventive uses of materials, sculpting the
garden space with landscaping and terraces, waterfalls , waterways, bridges and
recycled materials. A standout was the contemplative Moroccan garden which won the Gold.
The overall
gardens winner was the Chatsworth garden entry drawing on the heritage of the
original Paxton garden design from the 19th century at the
Chatsworth estate where employed gardener William Paxton created dramatic landscape
features with boulders, garden streams ,
bridges and the cultivated wild garden. The entry was very natural in effect as
though it had been there for years. Later
in my trip I had the pleasure of visiting the actual gardens at Chatsworth where I was
quite inspired by the drama of the created rocky landscape reminiscent of a
pastoral Italian landscape paintings. More on Chatsworth later.
Back at
Chelsea FS Lily and I noticed and enjoyed the popularity and presence of the
cultivated wild garden. It was all the rage. Pretty long grass varieties mixed
with poppies and irises, snow drops and buttercups bordered by gravel or aged
paths. It cropped up in various guises
throughout the show. I might try that at home!
In the
Flower pavilion, I had my nose to the trough so to speak taking pictures of all
manner of blooms from Day lily displays to French irises, sumptuous David
Austin roses and charming varieties of roses including the Persian Princess
with it’s captivating central detail at Harkness roses. There was every hue of
the rainbow of chrysanthemums and, gladioli. Clematis, succulents and hyacinths
had their own stands. The tulip stands were a knockout. My students in the
Brisbane Blooms Painting Workshop have benefitted from my gorgeous photo
reference already. It was too early for peonies.
I could
almost have eaten the display at the Carribbean tropical stand so lush in
colour and fecundity including ravishing arrangements of nutmeg, Birds of
Paradise in colours I have never seen before, and pretty orchids. The chap at
the stand looked good enough to eat also.
Then we came
across the strawberry stand. I have heard Poms in Australia moaning that the
Aussie strawberries aren’t a patch in British strawberries. When I was offered a sample of tray of luscious
specimens, I bit into heaven. I can now agree wholeheartedly and I apologise
for all those time I thought the Poms were, well,… whinging. The aroma, the
soft sweet flavour, the strawberriness of it all. Lily and I were swooning,
the taste was that good.
Eventually
we made our way out of the Flower Pavilion with plenty of time to view the
creative and sculptural stands. I was delighted to discover Willie Wildlife
Sculpture from Ocean Grove Victoria had his own stand with his stunning bronze
bird baths and a featured giant turtle sculpture. Will and I once shared a
stand at the Affordable art show in Melbourne. I took the wall space and he had
the floor for the sculptures. It was a blast to see him at Chelsea.
This was
Will’s 8th visit to the Chelsea, with partner and baby in tow. It’s
a massive undertaking but how wonderful to share your product to a truly
international crowd. Needless to say I dashed to the Pimm's tent and got them
both a refreshing English drink on me to celebrate. It’s great that his
beautifully crafted bird baths can now be found in gardens throughout the UK. It
definitely takes some nerve and dedication to spread the word internationally. Reverse
colonisation!
I was also impressed
by the driftwood horses and hares by an English sculptor.
By about 4pm, Lily and I had done our dash. We left with SD cards and iphones chockful of beautiful images, and our heads full of scent and colour, and inimitable English beauty.
Later we legged it the the Flamingo Bar , owned by Richard Branson which has actual flamingos in the garden about five floors up. We watched the sun down go down over London over cocktails. The perfect end to a beautiful day of gardens and flowers.
If you'd like to learn how to paint the blooms you see here, visit my online e-classes at www.howtopaintblooms.com
By about 4pm, Lily and I had done our dash. We left with SD cards and iphones chockful of beautiful images, and our heads full of scent and colour, and inimitable English beauty.
Later we legged it the the Flamingo Bar , owned by Richard Branson which has actual flamingos in the garden about five floors up. We watched the sun down go down over London over cocktails. The perfect end to a beautiful day of gardens and flowers.
If you'd like to learn how to paint the blooms you see here, visit my online e-classes at www.howtopaintblooms.com