Views on this years Chelsea

I've made my views clear many times before about Chelsea, and I haven't watched any of it yet, but it is a 'show'. The clue's in the title.
It's about showing what can be done, and what plants are available - always something new being produced whether it's landscaping materials, plants or new nurseries etc. It's a chance for those nurseries and various outlets to show and sell their products, which can be life changing for them. People can pick up ideas for their own plot.

The problem I have with it now is that it seems to be heading more and more towards being a fashion show. I watched the previous episode of G's World, which was coming from the earlier show [can't remember where] and the statement at the start, re the programme content, about what were 'the fashionable plants for this year', is what has changed IMO. The TV coverage seems to be very repetitive too - the same gardens/features each night the last time I looked. When I used to watch the afternoon/daytime episodes, they seemed to be better, and maybe more relevant, for 'ordinary gardeners', with better coverage of the gardens themselves and the planting.
You couldn't pay me to go to any of these things though. Like @Debs64 , I can't cope with crowds of any kind. Having spent a lot of my life going to agricultural shows, it's no longer of any interest to trail around various tents etc either.
The simple solution if you don't like it is - press the off button. I do that on a regular basis with all sorts of programmes.

 

I’ve only watched a couple of episodes of the coverage on BBC 2 so far as I prefer presenters who are gardeners. I wish they would give us a good look at each show garden in sequence, rather than snippets all over the place. Also I wish the awards were later in the week so that we could make our minds up having seen each garden in the context of the whole offering. I wouldn’t go as I don’t like crowds. I like the growers’ exhibits more than anything as they are real plants people who know what they are talking about. I can’t stand the mindless drivel from non gardeners like those vacuous so called celebrities who should be confined to that aptly named quiz show, Pointless Celebrities!

 

Was thinking the same. With the drone technology available nowadays, it would be really easy to give an excellent, detailed tour of each garden so you could get a feel for the whole layout and see it from different angles.

 

OH and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit yesterday. We arrived early to make sure we would get a good view of the gardens and consequently it was also fairly quiet (at first) in the Pavilion. The weather may have helped, as I think people were trying to get all the outside stuff done before the heavens were due to open around lunchtime.

I asked and received expert advice from some specialist nurseries and no they weren’t necessarily hoping to sell me something as one recommended a variety they dont grow and the other one they hadn’t brought with them.

If the gardens were ordinary and everyday, I wouldn’t get up at 4.30am to travel down to London and visit them on a wet, grey day. It’s a fashion show and I want to be challenged, surprised, delighted and shocked. Some gardens left me cold, some I loved, many had elements, plant combinations or details I may copy, adapt or daydream about.

It is an expensive day out just as attending any theatre, sports event or concert can be. I’m lucky that I could afford to go. My last visit was 2014 and I’m not sure I will go again due to health reasons. Having said that there are far more facilities than I remember previously - lots of seats ( some under cover), loos and places to buy food and drink.

My favourite gardens were the WaterAid and Ecotherapy Gardens. I loved the atmosphere, simplicity and trees of Tom Stuart Smiths NGS garden but, for me, he had too many dumpy rhododendrons in full flower. I would have liked more green but then I’ve never really liked rhododendrons so that might be my inner prejudice coming out!

I really enjoyed the balcony and container gardens, much more than anticipated. For me they were the most interesting and exciting of the categories. There were lots of ideas you could take home and replicate.

It was interesting seeing the gardens on a cool, grey day and then watching the same spaces in bright sun on the BBC. We hadn’t watched any coverage beforehand and watched just the Sunday programme last night. Some gardens needed sunshine to really sparkle, others like the NGS looked wonderful in the low light.

I very much enjoyed my day as a rich snob, maybe I should try it more often

 

Expensive, is a relative term, I saw Bruce Springsteen last night, and occasionally watch my beloved Spurs play, and both cost more than a Chelsea ticket.
As for there being nothing there for "gardeners", I have over 30 years experience, have been to Chelsea 3 times, and learnt plenty each time.

 

I haven't watched the TV coverage yet but hopefully will catch up over the weekend/next week when I have a few days off work, so no thoughts yet on this year's show.
Normally I enjoy the coverage of the gardens and plants, particularly the Great Pavilion, but fast-forward through most of the inevitable celebrity chat/interviews. The show gardens, for me are usually a mixed bag. Generally I prefer ones that focus on planting with not too much in the way of buildings, outdoor kitchens, fancy garden rooms, huge expanses of paving and whatnot. I don't mind landscaping that's setting a scene for the planting but the rest just makes me think, but they could have used that space for plants!

 

Forgot to add @Obelix-Vendée, the lupins were outstanding but all the gardens seem to have the same dark, purple-red ones. Very dark, moody colour. Maybe they taste different and we should try those, all mine (my favourite Chandelier) have been eaten

Very few purple alliums this year, just in one or two gardens, although I did see some beautiful Nectaroscordum in quite a few

 

I think the part of the problem @ViewAhead is that they give so much more coverage to Chelsea than the other shows such as Hampton Court and Tatton which are later in the year and so have a different plant palette.

It would be interesting to see a follow up looking at how show gardens are adapted to their permanent homes, both design ( site size, topography etc) and planting. Fir planting, I’m assuming there will be changes to accommodate differences in size, aspect, conditions but also to extend the seasonal interest.

 

When I was working for Phostrogen in the early 80s, I went to the show, working on their stand. Many of the (then) designers and plant specialists dropped by and we hosted dinners for them after each day's show. It was 4 days of hard work, but I was young, keen and immensely proud of the opportunity to be there.
Yes, we did a lot of other shows too, but Chelsea was, and still is, the showcase and the vehicle for change and innovation.
I wouldn't go again (as I am no longer young and keen!!) but I can still identify with the thrill of actually being there.

 

I watch on demand and skim through bits I'm not interested in. I have enjoyed Chelsea this year, I can understand why people don't like the whole performance of it. I've never been, but would love to go one day because I adore plants and to see such perfection would have me drooling.
I have just voted for the People's choice award...I love the concept, I love the fact that it won the Children's award and most of all, the colour palette is a joy... not full of pastels, purples, white and pink, as was evident in most of the gardens I saw- but a riot of colour.
Just a few of my rambling thoughts.

 

I watched again yesterday and was very impressed with the section on the Glasshouse charity helping women prisoners a really worthwhile idea and seems to be successful. Also some fascinating information on gut microbiomes.
The jungle balcony is amazing not really my taste but stunning and I will be looking for the new plants they showcased too so an interesting hours tv.

 

So much to see, if you have an open mind.

 

I'm glad you enjoyed your visit @Butterfly6 , l was wondering how you got on when I saw the torrential rain on the TV coverage.

I've been interested to read people's take on it, both from the TV and personal visits.
I'm surprised that nothing more has been made of Monty's comments the other night as regards the judging.
Basically he said that while the judges have a tick list of criteria that have to be met, they seem to have lost the visceral reaction that most of us get on seeing the show gardens for the first time. There's no "soul", it's just a box ticking exercise.
The only person I've heard comment on it was Dan Walker on Classic fm yesterday morning. I thought the RHS would have rolled out a judge or two (as they have in previous years) to appear on screen to comment.

I suspect Monty's views may have something to do with the Stroke Association's garden "only" receiving a bronze medal, when it's clearly a subject close to his heart as seen on last night's coverage. I do agree with him though, there seems to be a lack of subjectivity (for want of a better word), it's all to do with "The Brief".

 

And yet I wish they'd just donate the humongous amounts of money spend on putting together temporary "charity" gardens to the charity directly, fewer emissions and cash in the kitty. The rest is just flummery using charitable causes as a cover for a splurge.

And @JWK I did have a little giggle, as someone who had worked at Tate for twenty years, that anyone would still bring up Carl Andre's Equivalent VIII as an example of whacky contemporary art. He's not safe not even after his recent death