Surfing Chelsea

It’s always fascinating to read about this, the ultimate of garden
shows. Chelsea makes such attempts on our side of the Atlantic look kind of
ordinary—not that I think we should try to emulate them.

I am including a few items that caught my attention—and here(1)
are some links(2),
so you can read more(3).

-Garden walls studded with semi-precious stones. Well, it
worked for the Taj Mahal.

-A kitchen garden using artificial turf—except that it’s used
as wallpaper for a grotto, not instead of grass. Which makes it acceptable under the rules—barely. (This reminds me of last year's gnome snafu.)

-A mini-rainforest sponsored by Green and Black chocolate
(one of my favorites). It recreates the tropical plant life of Camaroon. (There is also a Brazilian jungle garden.)

-A brazen Australian entry that is crammed with grills, sunken lounge furniture, a kitchen, a pool, and other accoutrement of the outdoor living movement.

-A celebration of camassia (which have just started blooming for me now).

-Eden Project’s Place of Change garden is being built by 400
clients of homelessness organizations and 100 prison residents. It will have A
Planted Man, a 10-ft figure with medicinal plants attached to those body parts
they benefit; and a wildflower meadow, among other elements. This will be the
biggest garden Chelsea has ever had, so they’re the ones to watch. (The project
reminds me a bit of the movie Greenfingers, which featured Clive Owen as one of
several prisoners who compete in the Hampton Court Flower Show. As a gardening
movie, it was OK, but Clive is worth watching. )

And so much more. Of course—as is often the case with previews—the
actual displays might not live up to their descriptions. One of these days
though—I must see it.