Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
SRGC Shows and Events => Events => Topic started by: ichristie on May 20, 2009, 08:09:24 AM
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I was very fortunate to get a ticket for the Monday and flew down to London with Ian Young so post some pictures all taken at Chelsea, probably two lots, cheers Ian the Christie kind.
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Second batch. Christie
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Ian brings back fond memories seems like a long time ago Monday.
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Thanks for the pix. Ian, only way we're likely to see Chelsea!
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Good of you to think of us, Ian. I watched coverage on the TV last night, but not very exciting on the whole. Visits to the plant marquee are much more interesting than the show gardens!
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Thanks echoed here...
So far it would appear that Harvey's Garden Plants is the winning photo for me. Who is (are) Harvey?
There MUST be a story behind Ian and the hippo...
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I was going to post my pictures of Chelsea in the bulb log feed back but as Ian has started a thread here I will add my pictures, I have a lot 258, so it will take a few sessions over a few days to do it.
P5182517. is John Mitchel and Elspeth McIntosh of the RBG Edinburgh with president Ian
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This is just the order that I took them in and it was things that most took my eye mostly in the Plant Pavillion.
That is our President Ian Christie speaking to Neil Huntly of Hartside Alpines.
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Next batch of ten includes Forumist Dave Millward
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Last ten for just now
Second pic of this section: P5182543 shows Tim Wonnacott, antiques expert and TV presenter, beside the anemone flowered yellow chrysanthemum which has been named after him.
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Great pictures Ians, lovely to have your views of Chelsea for those who didn't get there. Thanks 8)
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Thanks echoed here...
So far it would appear that Harvey's Garden Plants is the winning photo for me. Who is (are) Harvey?
There MUST be a story behind Ian and the hippo...
Is it spot the difference (Sorry Ian)
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Great photographs, many thanks.
A comment, if you would, on the standard at Chelsea this year. There seems to have been few gold medals awarded to the gardens and also a few of the regular gold medal recipients under canvas did not receive medals this year.
Paddy
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Thanks Ian for your pictures I will not comment about the Hippo? I will comment on the floral exhibits, maybe not so many as last year but sure good quality with very nice colours, I think the RHS if I dare say do not appreciate flowers and plants nor do the TV peole they like gaudy metal or plasticine sorry it was yuc for me. I post a picture of Mr hardy I hope they got Gold really very good display. cheers Ian the Christie kind
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I will load another few now including the wonderful hippo surely a must for every garden.
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And more........
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Next....
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Ten more for you
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Some fantastic cactus- they like potash it helps them flower.
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There MUST be a story behind Ian and the hippo...
Is it spot the difference (Sorry Ian)
Maggi seems a bit ratty that folk are phoning to ask how she enjoyed her visit to Chelsea ::) :P
Ridiculous mistake; Maggi is never so dowdily dressed ;)
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There MUST be a story behind Ian and the hippo...
Is it spot the difference (Sorry Ian)
Maggi seems a bit ratty that folk are phoning to ask how she enjoyed her visit to Chelsea ::) :P
Ridiculous mistake; Maggi is never so dowdily dressed ;)
Quite...
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After that bad joke, Ian Y, your next task is to make a hippo out of a fish box.
Thanks for the pics, both Ians, they are great.
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I think the RHS if I dare say do not appreciate flowers and plants nor do the TV peole they like gaudy metal or plasticine sorry it was yuc for me.
Ian I saw the plasticine garden on the BBC website and wondered just what things were coming to... this is a flower show not a kiddies play group!
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Time for a few more Chelsea pics.
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Great that you show pictures of Chelsea Show, Ian(s)
258 pictures to go, makes me very curious.
But take your time Ian Y., I know how much work it is to resize so many pictures ;D
PS if you go on like this there will be many more I'm afraid.
I saw one set twice ??? ;)
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Some very nice troughs pity they don't know how to plant them up.
Luit, I have removed the repeated pix ;)
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Back to some of the gardens
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More from outside
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We had a break for tea where Sandy leven got to grips with a bun.
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Includes a self portrait and some fascinating orchids
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The fantastic project from Writhlington School where they culture orchid seeds.
Read the captions and follow the progress.
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This herb stand was my Best in Show- next to Big John Amand's stand of bulbs that is.
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I see the orchids attracted your eye! You know, that would be year-round gardening. I grow several of the ones you photographed here. One of them Phalaenopsis parishii, looks far larger in your picture than it is in real life.... A beauty none-the-less...
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Thanks Ian for your pictures of the wonderful Show.
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Better coverage than the BBC.
Great sets of photographs. Many thanks. Paddy
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Chelsea as mentioned briefly on our main TV news last night. Needless to say, all we saw was James May's plasticine effort, Stephen Fry wondering how to lauch something and HRH kissing his ma's hand. Pathetic!
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Well, Lesley, if you were following the coverage on the BBC - the official coverage of the show - you would be sick to the teeth of listening to silly fools who know nothing about gardening repeating their nonsensical comments on each repeated show. It is truly frustrating to watch in hopes of seeing the gardens or, heaven forbid, some plants.
Paddy
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Luit, I have removed the repeated pix ;)
No you haven't. They're still on my screen. :)
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and on my screen too.
Making such a Herb Garden must have been an enormous task. Thinking of preparing such huge flowering Brassica(?) for
moving and planting.
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Extra pix are gone here..... perhaps they are coming from the cache on your machines?
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We protested to the RHS and BBC about the tasteless remarks by Titchmarsh and Swift on Monday night about the system for awarding the VHM on the day of Kath Dryden's death and were pleased to hear Titchmarsh give a little tribute to her this evening.
The level of repeated material is annoying and I can never understand why, if they want to show us preparations for the show, or the gardens of assorted "celebrities", they do not make special programmes of those, to complement the actual coverage of the show, leaving the whole time of the event being live to cover more aspects of the show itself. ???
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Johnw: wasn't sure whether you were asking about Hardys or Harveys..... bith got Gold......
http://www.hardys-plants.co.uk/
Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants, Priory Lane, Freefolk Priors, Whitchurch, Hampshire, RG28 7NJ
http://www.harveysgardenplants.co.uk/home.asp
Harveys Garden Plants
Unusual Perennials Garden Design
Nursery - Great Green, Thurston, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 3SJ
Tel / Fax: 01359 233363 email: admin@harveysgardenplants.co.uk
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Maggi - the BBC coverage of the show is not about the show nowadays, its about the presenters. And Joe Swift acting silly trying to outdo Titch is absurd. For the past few years they've done this thing where one presenter tries to outdo the other in terms of having more noble opinions and such like. GW is just the same, its no longer about gardening, but about the celebrity presenters jockeying for position. I was pleased, however, that they did coverage of the micropropped orchids, that young lady they spoke to was quite articulate wasn't she? What a sweetie, a bit precocious but hey, we need one or two young uns like that. On Tuesday night they had coverage of Jekka getting ready for Chelsea, which I actually enjoyed. Such a wonderful stand, and Ian's pictures are much better than the TV camera footage of the stand. Instead of showing it to us so we could see the whole thing, we got a few close ups of the stand then the presenters again. I'm so sick of seeing them. Don't mind if they want to talk, but show us the plants, not these celebrities!!! Sure hope someone from the BBC reads this thread....
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Ian was very impressed withthe young folk from Writhlington and their orchids when he first saw them at Chelsea, having read an article about the work the school was doing. Now he seeks them out to find out what they're up to next. Yes, that wee lassie was great, so nice to see children getting interested in some practical, if not exactly everyday activity! 8)
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It certainly is. Wish more schools got involved in that sort of thing. Where abouts is the school? Never heard of the place before, must be smallish....
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It certainly is. Wish more schools got involved in that sort of thing. Where abouts is the school? Never heard of the place before, must be smallish....
Writhlington School, Knobsbury Lane, Writhlington, Radstock, BA3 3NQ, the school stands on the edge of Bath and North East Somerset, east of the town of Radstock, ten miles from Bath
http://wsbeorchids.org.uk/about/
http://www.wsbe.org.uk/
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On the BBC programme between 8 and 9 pm tonight, did anyone notice that Forumist "Geebo" had emailed to ask what the white flowers were in the big black pots in the Best in Show Garden.......they're Libertias, by the way.
The SRGC forumists get everywhere, don't they?!! 8)
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Thank you Ians for showing the Chelsea pictures. You are so lucky to have been there without the crowds. I am going for the first time on Saturday when it will probably be impossible to see anything for people. I read that there was a 'modern rock garden'(?) somewhere. Did you see it?
I am trying to make a mental list of things that are definitely worth seeing as we will be getting there late in the morning and will not have time to have a good look at everything before the sell-off starts.
I would like to know how they dead-head the buzzie-lizzies in the 'toilet roll' show garden - these designs are usually totally impractical.
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Vivien, I think that the Best in Show, Telegrapgh Garden has been described as a 'modern rock garden'.
http://www.rhs.org.uk/whatson/shows/chelsea2009/show/dailytelegraph.asp
http://www.bbc.co.uk/chelsea/
Only twelve big show gardens this year, so may you get a chance to gallop round them all :-\
In spite of the publicity that the Show Gardens receive, I think it is in the Floral Pavilion, where all the nursery stands are, that the real Chelsea is to be found. :)
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Thanks for the kind words and I must agree with you all re the TV coverage.
Time for a few more posts.
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Under water garden!!!!!
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Back to Jacques Amand.
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Kirstenbosch had a magnificent stand as usual but I liked the picture backgrounds gave me some real photo options.
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Nearing the end now
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Only a few left after this
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Lilies and a big hand for Chelsea
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Thanks for all the photos Ian and Ian.
As ever the BBC have messed up coverage again and I agree with what everyone has said. If they are going to look at plants in a programme on the plants it should be. I seems like they are in the same garden every time I watch.
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Thanks Ian for the marathon effort. We used to watch the TV programmes every year on Chelsea but have not for a number of years now because personalities and 'modern' ideas dominate, plants with flowers are rarely seen and the idea of putting a name to any plant shown is considered too demeaning for the presenter....perhaps they do not know how to give latin names! but just have big cheesey smiles with the right accent. Time the forumists made their views known...been a good start so far
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Great pix Ian... perhaps it is time the BBC had you down there talking about the gardens and the plants ;D
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I totally agree, Carol ... Roy Lancaster, Geoffrey Smith, Ian Young and Maggi for the sex appeal.
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I totally agree, Carol ... Roy Lancaster, Geoffrey Smith, Ian Young and Maggi for the sex appeal.
Right now we just need to get up a petition :D
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Ian, as I cannot see the TV programs about Celsea Flower Show here, I am very grateful that you took the time to show so many pictures.
Being a Dutchman I have one question:
I saw Allium, Amaryllis, Tulipa and ? Narcissus and many other bulbous plants, but I missed the Hyacinths ;)
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Luit, Ian says that the hyacinths were one stand he did not photograph.... he just drank in their scent!
I miss Roy Lancaster on the Chelsea coverage.... actually, I miss Roy on TV full stop: that man's knowledge and enthusiasm is worth a hundred "celebrities"
Since poor Geoffrey Smith has departed this life, seeking his return to our screens might be a bit tricky. :-X
Ian and I are game, we've worked with Roy before......... might there be a frock allowance for me , do you think? ::)
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I was so sorry to learn that Geoffrey Smith had passed away (February this year) ... I must have missed the announcements - a wonderful gardener and communicator, the 'Alpine' edition of his television programme remains one of my favourites. I still have a copy on video and must remember to copy it to DVD before it gets lost.
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Like Luit, and no doubt other outsiders,for me the BCC online coverage brings up "not available in your area" messages, so all these super posts are especially valuable to those of us who are otherwise deprived. So silly that they don't make their coverage available worldwide. We get all the TV news etc, direct from BBC. But perhaps, judging from above comments, we get the best of the show from the Forum, rather than BBC itself, anyway.
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Well, just let me know and I'll sign the petition ..... I've been a fan of Roy's for a long time.
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There'll be a piece on Chelsea on one of the Australian "lifestyle" TV shows tonight but only because there's an Aussie entry and we're to see if they can win "Gold, gold, gold!!" again. ::)
Thank you Ian and Ian for a much better look at the plants which is what I'm interested in!
That South African exhibit certainly gives you the feeling of actually being there and not every square centimetre of ground has to be covered in plant growth!
cheers
fermi
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There'll be a piece on Chelsea on one of the Australian "lifestyle" TV shows tonight but only because there's an Aussie entry
Who's that Fermi? I thought Flemings had been forced to withdraw because of bush fire damage. If only they had have been there, we wouldn't have had the horticultural excellence of an entirely plasticine garden (complete with plasticine gold medal). Even triumphalist shouts of "Gold, gold, gold!" are better than that ::).
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Ian and I are game, we've worked with Roy before......... might there be a frock allowance for me , do you think? ::)
One would hope so Maggi, after all our MP's seem to be able to claim expenses for all sorts of things :o
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Ian and I are game, we've worked with Roy before......... might there be a frock allowance for me , do you think? ::)
One would hope so Maggi, after all our MP's seem to be able to claim expenses for all sorts of things :o
They should all be DEFROCKED!!! ::)
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But perhaps, judging from above comments, we get the best of the show from the Forum, rather than BBC itself, anyway.
How right you are Lesley, you aint missed much from the BBC, it's so dire I can't bear to watch it :-\
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http://www.rhs.org.uk/whatson/shows/chelsea2009/show/dailytelegraph.asp
Thank you for this link, Maggi. I can see there are lots of rocks in this garden but the planting is not very alpine. Hunting around the other gardens I eventually found the Modern Rock Garden - a bit landscape-heavy/ plant-light perhaps but it has been made by a former gardener at Utrecht Botanical Garden so they should know their stuff.
http://www.rhs.org.uk/whatson/shows/chelsea2009/urban/osonoe.asp
For those that cannot get the BBC coverage, the RHS website has some videos, virtual visits and overviews of the show gardens, but as has been said, the pictures are not as good as the ones on the forum .
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Ah, yes, Vivien ... that's the one that the Director of the AGS has just been interviewed in, on the BBC lunchtime programme :o ::) :-X
Kit Grey Wilson gave a few hints as to what alpines were etc. but I was most excited to see a keen Aberdeen SRGC Member, James Meff, giving his cogent impressions of his Chelsea visit in a vox pop 8)
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They should all be DEFROCKED!!! ::)
I agree Cliff and we can't even point the finger at one political party - they are all at it >:( I have various thoughts as to how we could save a lot of money on their expenses - including housing all the out of London MP's in the equivalent of a 1970s Nurses Home - complete with Home Sister to keep them all under control ;D
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- including housing all the out of London MP's in the equivalent of a 1970s Nurses Home - complete with Home Sister to keep them all under control ;D
]
Camp Mother would do it. Are you aquainted with New Zealand's Topp Twins?
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Mary has just told me that the "People's Choice" of favourite garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, something determined by vox populi at the show, was the plasticine garden.
As a school teacher I take great heartening from this announcement: with such ignorance there is a guaranteed need for education in the world and future employment opportunities for teachers.
From a horticultural viewpoint: those canvassed were people with a keen interest in gardening - they paid dearly to go to the show - and this is their level of appreciation of gardening!
Paddy
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Paddy I despair, I really do... I also wonder just how much real interest in gardening a lot of the people who go to Chelsea have. I know it is one of the places on the London social calendar. I also know that a lot of the folk who go to Gardening Scotland, which starts on 29 May, will not be there because they are interested in plants and gardening ???
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You can't please all of the people all of the time. Carol and I blog on another gardening site where there has been some very positive comments of the TV coverage of Chelsea. As we don't have a television I can stay on the fence!
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Mary has just told me that the "People's Choice" of favourite garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, something determined by vox populi at the show, was the plasticine garden.
As a school teacher I take great heartening from this announcement: with such ignorance there is a guaranteed need for education in the world and future employment opportunities for teachers.
From a horticultural viewpoint: those canvassed were people with a keen interest in gardening - they paid dearly to go to the show - and this is their level of appreciation of gardening!
Paddy
http://www.rhs.org.uk/whatson/shows/chelsea2009/peopleschoice.asp
The plasticine garden was the"people's choice " as favourite Small Garden.
The favourite overall garden was the Cancer Research Garden , see here....http://www.rhs.org.uk/whatson/shows/chelsea2009/show/cancerresearch.asp
with flowers, seats and even some grass: but the grass is actually Leptinella squalida!
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The favourite overall garden was the Cancer Research Garden , see here....http://www.rhs.org.uk/whatson/shows/chelsea2009/show/cancerresearch.asp
with flowers, seats and even some grass: but the grass is actually Leptinella squalida!
What a relief... and now I can take a look at some of the other gardens too... thanks Maggi :-*
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I sympathise with your comments here Paddy and I suspect many may have voted for the plasticine because it was, apparently, the effort of Top Gear man James May (did he actually make the flowers etc, or hire some bunch of kindergarten kids to do it for him?). However, I also suspect that many may have voted for it because it was "different" from the same old same old that is the "norm" at the big shows nowadays; the large pots, mirrors, steel sculptures, concrete paving and artwork, with precious few actual plants at all. At least there were flowers, even if unreal ones. I may have voted for it too. :-\
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Thanks Ian & Ian for great photos of so many exhibits! Glad that there were plenty of shots of the South African exhibit. :) Were the Durban Botanical Gardens exhibiting this year? Having worked on the Kirstenbosch exhibit as part of the team last year, it's been a bit disappointing to have to try study for exams and not be at the show again but your photos have really done it justice!
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Durban Botanics didnt get any coverage on TV
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Durban Botanics didnt get any coverage on TV
The City of Durban had a display in the pavilion which was a 'floral depiction of the Moses Mabhida stadium' which will host next year's football World Cup. See Ian's pictures in the bottom half of post #14, the ones with the patterns in orange and yellow gerberas.
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So they did, Vivien! My apologies for my previous posting ( nowremoved) which stated there was no exhibit from Durban. I checked the Chelasea Handbook, under "botanics", Durban" and found nothing... never thought to check "city" !!
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Here are the City of Durban pix.....
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Just catching up after what was a very busy week for me. Our visit to Chelsea now seems an age away and it was great to catch up via the wonderful selection of images from Ian and Ian - thanks guys, a wonderful reminder. Last Monday's visit was my first for more than 10 years and it was a great pleasure to have been able to enjoy the show in the company of Joint Rock colleagues.
For me the Floral Pavilion (or whatever it's called) is the heart of Chelsea. The gardens somehow don't interest me much. So I spent much of my time revelling in the amazing array of plants. So, I thought I'd share with you all some of my favourites, trying to pick things that have not been shown in the other posts.
So here goes with the first lot:
1 + 2 Some hyacinths - especially for Luit......
3 to 6 Iris selection
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Second batch:
1, 2: Aquilegia
3, 4, 5: Sarracenias - almost as striking as the wonderful arisaemas on John Amand's stand.
6: Scilla peruviana
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Third batch - a miscellany
1. Auricula house
2. A judgely huddle
3. The wheel of vegetables
4 to 6. World of bulbs.........
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And the final batch for tonight (more tomorrow perhaps...)
This is the "I wish they wouldn't" section.......
1. Daffs are fabulous, but for me this gets a serious thumbs down :'( :'( :'( :'(
2. variegated Fritillaria imperialis - ugh!!!!
3. Ah, that's better Narcissus 'Pheasant's Eye' :) :)
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1 + 2 Some hyacinths - especially for Luit......
Thanks Dave. :D
Good to see some more pictures of the Show here and very interesting to see some already showed last week with a different view.
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What super photos, David.... looking forward to more when you have the time :D
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Super shots and I agree, plants are best, not the outdoor gardens where it seems the fewer plants there are, the higher the points awarded.
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I have been trying all evening to post some Chelsea photos but have had all sorts of computer problems. Hopefully everything will work this time >:(
My trip to Chelsea was on Saturday when it (and the rest of London) was very busy. It took an hour to get from the train at King's Cross to the show so we arrived in a panic that we would not see everything. However we managed to see everything that we wanted to and it was great fun to see the 'sell-off' at the end.
Crowds on Eastern Avenue - a bit busier than on Monday!
Cayeux Iris - Iris were a feature of most of the outside show gardens too.
Jekka's Herbs - no sign of her gnome.
Vertical gardens were also featured in many show gardens.
Cayman Islands Underwater Garden - Winner of the President's Most Creative Award and my favourite.
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Thanks Vivien & Maggie!
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Thanks to all the valiant posters - wonderful pictures that give us a good idea of what's going on at Chelsea !
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We'll just have to make sure to get lots of pix. of Gardening Scotland for you all ;D
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Some more Chelsea images.
1-5: I was also very impressed with the Writhlington School Sikkim orchids project, and not just because the school is not far from where I was born (Bath). Amazing enthusiasm and knowledge combined with excellent communication skills - very worthy of their gold medal.
6. As always at Chelsea there are other educational exhibits, including this one from the British Mycological Society
7. The Kirstenbosch exhibit was magnificent - the curved backdrop had a three-dimensional quality to it - quite stunning.
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A few more orchids
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1- 4: I am always interested in the Bonsai and Roses - these were key interests of my grandfather. he would have been disappointed in the quality of some of the roses and this was I think reflected in the medal awarded.
5-7: a way with alpine-like plants.......
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And from me, a final miscellany
1. a not-so-nice tulip
2. Fuchsias - again I felt that these were not up to the usual standard seen.
3. Cornus kuosa
4. Erythronium callifornicum 'Harvington Snowgoose'
Overall my choice of best exhibit in the Grand Pavilion was Jekka's herb garden - a wonderfully arrangement of colours, shapes and shades with such mature looking plants. Enjoyed the bruhaha over the inclusion of a gnome - the reaction was very RHS!! The President's choice of the Caymen Islands underwater garden as most innovative exhibit was a good choice. And congratulations to John Amand for his magnificent display of arisaemas - really stunning.
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I quite like the not so nice tulip, the colour at least, maybe not the fringing, well yes, that too actually and I do like the boots, cups and teapot filled with sempervivums but oh horror, a piddley sheep?
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Cheers, Leslie, I too rather liked the boots, teapot, pots and colander
.... and as for the Pidley Sheep........ how very observant.
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Well you know NZers Dave. Anything to do with sheep and we're in our element. ;D The extra d was writer's licence.
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After finally (or at least temporarily) beating the Redirect virus that was stopping me posting photos, and putting in an order for a new monitor (yellow gun has packed in so everything is purple), I can wrap things up with my pics of the sell-off on the Saturday.
Waiting for the 4 o'clock bell.
The demolition job... most of the plants had been reserved and paid for but others were more of a scramble. Several exhibitors such as Darcy and Everest alpines did not sell. It was very exciting to watch.
I bought a pot of Narcissus Jonquilla from Broadleigh bulbs which scented the train home. Also the Underwater garden was being sold off by the bagful and I couldn't resist :)
I also couldn't resist the AGS show offer so carted home a copy of Bryans Bulb book in a neat bag.
Can anyone help me identify my new succulents??
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VivienR
Left corner front - might be Crassula arborescens but hard to tell as I don't see stems just leaves, could be a Cotyledon sp.
middle front edge - Crassula marneriana, name may have changed since my Cactus days.
right corner front - Echeveria glauca, possibly E. elegans
Can't really see the others clearly.
I should probably keep quiet on the subject.
johnw
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Thank you for your help for iDs for the succulents, John. I have just looked up a few sites for Crassula, Cotyledon and Echeveria but it is very difficult to tell from the pictures and there seems to be a lot of variation. I think all your suggestions could be right.
I have found out the London nursery which supplied the plants and have sent them an email to see if they have a show plant list - worth a try to save a lot of head-scratching :)
Vivien
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Vivien - The Crassula arborescens when more mature looks like a blue green Jade Tree with a rosy flush on the edges of the leaves. I now doubt that's what I see in the tray. The nursery would have taken stem cuttings of C. arborescens rather than just leaves. And I see one leaf is sending up shoots (one towards the top of the group at the right).
May be a Titanopsis sp. in the top right corner.
johnw
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Yes John, the Crassula arborescens turns out to be Kalanchoe thyrsiflora 'Bronze Sculpture'. I have had a quick reply from Newington Nurseries. They have just put a full planting list with very good photos of everything on their website. All the plants on the exhibit were supplied by them. They also have interesting photos of the construction of the garden.
www.newington-nurseries.co.uk (http://www.newington-nurseries.co.uk)
You were right about Crassula marnieriana (Var. ' Hottentot').
I think the Echeverias are E. runyonii 'Topsey Turvey', E. lilacina and E. elegans.
Vivien