Silver Gilt and Silene

Well the joy that is Chelsea is over for another year. I had a brilliant time at the show, after I helped on the build the following week I was back down again on the Tuesday to help out on the stand, telling people about the Chelsea garden, about the charity Perennial and to try and encourage people to go and visit the two Perennial gardens, York Gate and Fullers Mill. It was a bit of an eye-opener for me, quite surprising how many people had never heard of the charity. Many people walking through the garden and asking about the plants thought we were a nursery so we had to do a lot of talking and telling people what the charity do. It was pleasing that the charity got some coverage on the BBC Friday night coverage of the Flower Show.

Tuesday was obviously medals day and pleasingly the garden got a Silver-Gilt.

People asked lots of questions about the plants, the most popular was Silene fibriata, which is on the left hand side of the first photo below and in close up at Kew Gardens. From the Campion family it has lovely white bell like flowers with a frilly edge. The joy of this plant is that it can grow most places, shade or sun. We have it in the white border at York Gate.

 

The other popular plant was Anemone 'Wild Swan'.

Its hard to get photos of the garden exhibit during the show, as it was very popular place to walk through and also to sit for a few minutes. Hopefully this was great for Perennial with lots of people taking leaflets and hearing about their work. I took a final picture at the end of my shift, when it was getting quieter in the Great Pavilion.

I was on the garden till 8pm but what a treat after that getting to see the gardens outside without the crowds, there were lots of corporate events going on but I managed to get another good look round all the gardens and as it got dark many of the gardens were lit, the best being Cleve West's garden.

Then back to get some rest before the next day when I did a quick trip to Kew gardens and then I had afternoon tickets for the show, so back to the Royal Hospital Chelsea for a proper look round....