Chelsea flower show.

[oldherbaceous]

Watched a little of the Chelsea flower show at lunchtime, and how i wish the main garden designers would be a little more daring with colour. I do like shades of green but, there is a limit before they all start becoming rather repetitive, however good the hard-landscaping is.

[alan refail]

I watched most of today's programme, and was struck again by how little relevance it all has to the real world

[Tigger]

I recorded both shows today and have just watched them. I love Chelsea and I thought it was as good as ever. I'm going to the Hampton Court show for the first time this year. Can't wait!

Chantal and Seedling - did you see Lila with the lovely AT?

[Primrose]

You really do get the wierd and the wonderful at Chelsea, don't you? In a previous year we had that Irish guy ( can't remember his name) who strung everything up with balls. This year we've got James May creating a garden out of plasticine! I must be old fashioned because I long to see Gardening Shows revert back to concentrating more on plants. At least decking finally seems to have gone out of fashion, thank goodness. Perhaps it was because too many people slipped on the slimy wood when it was wet, broke their ankles and realised that perhaps it wasn't such a clever idea after all.

[seedling]

Watched chelsea last night. thought some of the gardens were lovely but the plasticine one was out of place. Cant believe the RHS allowed it.

Yes Tigger i did see Lila. She seemed so relaxed and natural. Good for her.

Seedling

[lizzie]

I loved the plastercine garden purely because it's got the establishments knickers in a right twist. When asked where the idea came from James Mays answer was brilliant "Well, it came out of the pub one night actually and there is nothing in the rules, as far as i;m aware, that the flowers have to be real." Brilliant............the Revolutionary in me likes that

I loved the Potters Garden and the Alchimists Garden, but I like gardens like that anyway. Don't like lots of hard landscaping etc.

[Stephen]

I bumped into friends yesterday who had just returned from Chelsea.
My sister and brother in law have gone today.
I have not watched or taped the programmes.
In some ways I feel left out!
However, I confess flowers and floral gardens don't interest me, nice to walk around but I have no real ambition to start one.
Fruit and veg for me.

[Geoff]

So another non garden is Best in Show - more like a Turner prize installation. There should be lots of marks for reality and continuity. A garden shouldn't be a collection of plants flowering together that don't do so naturally and it should be able to demonstrate continuity - what will it look like in 3 months and in 12 months. I'm not saying all the displays should be May plants but perhaps the designer should declare a month and all the plants should match it, not Dahlias with Daffodils for example.
Plasticine is timeless and was fun.

[Chantal]

Hi Seedling/Tigger

Yes, saw Lila with Mr T but she says she spent an hour in make up to look that good (I don't believe it) and is grumpy 'cos they cut one of her days. I've not seen her apart from that interview and on the blog, has she been on the lunchtime shows?

Why was James May allowed to exhibit? I like James May, but not in a garden and giving him a plasticine "Gold" medal is just encouraging him!

[Tigger]

I thought it was great because for the first time, the RHS found their sense of humour and made him a medal! When you think back to how they treated Diarmuid Gavin, this suggested they were human after all.

Mind you, I lked Mama Mia, so perhaps that says it all.

[Chantal]

It says it all

[Marge]

I do wish the BBC coverage would be less repetitive and not to always concentrate on the same few gardens. Also it is a shame none of the main show gardens featured a lawn. And why do so many of them look like hotel lobbies what with all the concrete, glass panels, and metal?

Right rant over! I thought the Great Pavilion looked superb. I would like to know if the edible stuff is judged on taste at all?

I did like the plasticine 'garden'. It is not a garden as such but a work of art, and what a superb work of art it is

[lizzie]

Did anyone see the Ace of Spades garden featured tonight. I loved it, especially the beautiful Harley Davidson motorbike at the front. But, then again, I am a bit of a rock chick at heart

I do miss Diamuid Gavin as he had such a fabulous view on Chelsea and it's a shame that the RHS will not let him exhibit or that the BBC won't let him do some items.............. it would be nice to have a different approach and viewpoint instead of the dreadful Toby Buckland

[Tigger]

I believe he was banned for a certain period of time, so I assume he will be back with us in a couple of years or so.

[alan refail]

I expect the authorities will allow plasticine gnomes next year

Meanwhile at this year's show banned gnomes make a bid for recognition