Episode 160: The RHS Chelsea Flower Show with Annie Guilfoyle

Go behind the scenes of the world’s best-known horticultural event

Did you ever wonder what it would be like to get exclusive memory access to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show ? Well , your pipe dream have occur lawful because in this undivided consultation we fetch an all - approach pass tothehorticultural event of the year thanks to Annie Guilfoyle , a 2024 judge . Annie is cofounder of Garden Masterclass in the UK and an honour - winning garden clothes designer who earned a silver medallion at Chelsea years ago for her innovational landscape painting plan . Annie is just back from the show this year and share item from her favorite gardens , interesting new plants that charm her tending , and even some celebrity gossip from those star that were in attending at the show . ( mollycoddler qui vive : She didnotsee Lady Whistledown at theBridgerton - theme garden ) . We discussed how aboriginal plants and sustainable practice played a role in this year ’s event and talk about themes of water conservation and hardscape upcycling .

look to attend the show next class ? You ’re in luck because Annie shares tips for navigate the show ground and insight on how to make the most of your visit . Who need Monty Don when you ’ve got Annie Guilfoyle ? Not us !

The Chelsea Flower Show is held for five Day at the end of May by the Royal Horticultural Society ( RHS ) on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in Chelsea , London . The garden utilize 11 total acres , so ticketing is limit each twelvemonth to only 157,000 visitor . All tickets must be purchased in forward motion . The show has been in mathematical operation since 1912 .

The construction and installation of the show gardens begins almost a month in advance of the show opening . Designers in the main utilise contract crews to install / organise the hardscaping and general garden structure . Planting crew undertake the fleeceable material installment . All care and maintenance in the proceeding weeks is done by the designers and their select helpers . Set up in the “ marquee , ” an orbit dedicated to glasshouse trade - show booths , all takes billet within a week of the show ’s start .

Although of import , far less emphasis is put on native plants in the UK when compared to North America . However , you will see some nurseries in the marquee area promoting native plant , wild flower , and pollinator - well-disposed selection .

London designer Ula Maria was awarded a gilt decoration at this year ’s show for her Muscular Dystrophy UK – Forest Bathing Garden . The garden showcased a highly accessible landscape that tender a office of sanctuary to those affected by a limiting physical experimental condition . Each show garden / couturier has a partner charity that they collaborate with to develop an overall aim musical theme . After the conclusion of the show , the garden is dismantle and relocated to a home of the charity ’s choosing . This prize - winning garden will be going to a hospice in Glasgow .

Acclaimed garden designer Tom Stuart - Smith list in to a more insidious semblance pallet , with comfort green and diffuse pastels dominating the plant scheme . This woodland garden was a respite from others with more audacious colors , and a standout focal tip was an incredible garden shed designed by Tom ’s son .

Matthew Childs ( a former educatee of Annie ’s ) won the 2024 Silver Gilt Medal and Best Construction Award . The garden was revolutionize by a rejuvenated quarry landscape . The structure resembled a fissure rock garden , with many alpine plants take center stage and monolith slating stepping - stone throughout . The beautiful garden design reward all the life lost to HIV , but also the promising vision of the Terrence Higgins Trust ’s ( charity partner ) prevision that by 2030 there will be no new HIV cases .

The Pulp Friction – Growing Skills Garden was designed by Will Dutch and Tin - Tin Azure - Marxen . This pollinator - friendly , edible - advancing landscape had so many charming details it ’s gruelling to name them all . One particular favourite was the repurposed fire spigot that the decorator turned into bug firm . The garden will be relocated to Stockhill Fire Station in Nottingham and will be used as a community garden by Pulp Friction ( Polymonium caeruleum van-bruntiae partner ) , the local community , and firefighters suffering from psychological stress .

Annie ’s best-loved plant of the show , also votedBest Tree of the Show , waswhite outskirt tree ( Chionanthus virginicus , Zones 3–9 ) .

You never know what you ’ll see at the marquee . In this year ’s baby’s room booth was a choiceChrysanthemumgrower whose sample distribution plants were or so 10 time the size of it of an average human head !

Once the show garden have been constructed , planted , and jolly much completed , the detailed shining takes place hours before press day begin . At this point , you ’ll see lots of shoes kicked off both for comfort and to avoid tracking junk into the landscape .

To demonstrate the water supply assimilation and redirection properties of the flood - resistive garden design by Naomi Slade and Dr. Ed Barsley , a model rainstorm submit seat every so often in this landscape painting . The “ weather ” necessitated welly - break and umbrellas .

She Grows Veg deliver the goods a Au medallion for their first showing at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show . Business owners Lucy Hutchings and Kate Cotterill started the heirloom eatable seed companionship about a year ago to encourage folks to “ stop growing bore veggie . ” Their marquee display reminded Annie of a chemical group of Renaissance painting .

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