Just to get a bit of (heated?) discussion going on the forum, here is the first of my heresies. Please keep the debate on topic - if you want to start a separate heretical discussion, please start "Horticultural heresies #2".
Horticultural heresies #1
The Chelsea Irrelevance Show
I have just seen the report that this year's "show" has a garden designed to illustrate "the links between plants and precious stones", including a display (brief) of £20,000,000 of diamonds LINK
I ask "What is the connection between "gardens" filled with out-of-season plants (and, yes, that does include the gardens with vegetables) and the real world of gardening and food production?
The Chelsea Irrelevance Show is nothing more than a showplace for the rich and pretentious to impress (and milk money from) the gullible masses.
Any responses?
Please keep the debate on topic - if you want to start a separate heretical discussion, please start "Horticultural heresies #2".
Horticultural heresies #1
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alan refail
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peter
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I really don't know what you expect The Chelsea Flower Show to be as it is, and has been for many decades, a commercial enterprise designed to get the public to buy from the garden trade. 
What better publicity than a jewel based garden? Each year something preposterous is floated to publicies the show, someting "so" cutting edge that it stirs up the false debate on the news about how is this relevant to your garden.
Have you perhaps been living in a nuclear fallout shelter since the 1950's and been recently evicted by a townee retiring to the country?
Cocks crow, businesses trade, get used to it.
Sarcastic humour over, normal service resumed.......
What better publicity than a jewel based garden? Each year something preposterous is floated to publicies the show, someting "so" cutting edge that it stirs up the false debate on the news about how is this relevant to your garden.
Have you perhaps been living in a nuclear fallout shelter since the 1950's and been recently evicted by a townee retiring to the country?
Cocks crow, businesses trade, get used to it.
Sarcastic humour over, normal service resumed.......
Do not put off thanking people when they have helped you, as they may not be there to thank later.
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PLUMPUDDING
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I've never been very interested by Chelsea flower show and prefer the smaller shows like Harrogate which has excellent quality plants in well designed display gardens and lots of small nurseries selling their specialities. Compared to the concrete and stainless steel, and flights of steps dangerously ending in water features and trees brought at enormous expense from the other side of the world representing some weird and wonderful concept of the sponsor that you get at Chelsea, which just turns me off.
Although there have been some pleasing designs with more plants than hard landscaping in recent years.
The RHS shows in particular are getting ridiculously expensive and even smaller shows have been putting their entrance prices up. They seem to be charging the stall holders more too which is being reflected in the price of the plants for sale.
I am going to Tatton Park show this year though just for a day out - I'm sure I will manage to get back without buying any plants! (Pigs might fly)
But as Peter says the shows are to sell stuff so if there are people with enough money to pay for designer gardens and they think they are getting something special then I'm sure they will find it at Chelsea. Whereas people who actually like to design and do their own gardening probably won't be too impressed with the sales gimmicks.
Although there have been some pleasing designs with more plants than hard landscaping in recent years.
The RHS shows in particular are getting ridiculously expensive and even smaller shows have been putting their entrance prices up. They seem to be charging the stall holders more too which is being reflected in the price of the plants for sale.
I am going to Tatton Park show this year though just for a day out - I'm sure I will manage to get back without buying any plants! (Pigs might fly)
But as Peter says the shows are to sell stuff so if there are people with enough money to pay for designer gardens and they think they are getting something special then I'm sure they will find it at Chelsea. Whereas people who actually like to design and do their own gardening probably won't be too impressed with the sales gimmicks.
My impression of the 'Chelsea' is totally unacceptable for publication even to you broad minded wonderful people.
The one thing I very strongly dislike are 'Snobs' and at Chelsea they are 10 to the square yard and most of them have not the slightest understanding of anything to do with horticulture.
It is only the snobs from of this area who make a song and a dance about going. In the local garage, come mini-supermarket, they call out to each other about when they are going just to tell everybody how wonderful they are because they are going. None of them knows 'aye from a bulls arse.' They make me want to puke!
JB.
The one thing I very strongly dislike are 'Snobs' and at Chelsea they are 10 to the square yard and most of them have not the slightest understanding of anything to do with horticulture.
It is only the snobs from of this area who make a song and a dance about going. In the local garage, come mini-supermarket, they call out to each other about when they are going just to tell everybody how wonderful they are because they are going. None of them knows 'aye from a bulls arse.' They make me want to puke!
JB.
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oldherbaceous
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I think things started going wrong when, the Lady of the house stopped taking the Head gardener along with her. 
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Shallot Man
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OH. Or the gamekeeper after hours
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alan refail
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If Medwyn can do it, so can you 
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Shows-Events/RHS- ... 010/Awards
Watch the movie
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Shows-Events/RHS- ... 010/Awards
Watch the movie
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peter
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One was very natural, it even had a Painted Lady.
'Cept it wasn't a butterfly.
'Cept it wasn't a butterfly.
Do not put off thanking people when they have helped you, as they may not be there to thank later.
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Primrose
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Well, I suppose we ought to be grateful that they've returned to showing actual plants again. For the past few years Chelsea seems to have been a showplace for the concrete, steel and garden decking industries.
I can understand that Chelsea is a showcase for exhibitors but admirable though some of the gardens are, they are totally uncrealistic for the average new gardener who wants to turn his tiny back garden into somewhere pleasant and affordable where he can sit and enjoy a glass of beer on summer evenings. I'd like to see a few showcase garden which have a low and affordable price limit on them which would be a real test of a garden designer's ingenuity. I sometimes think that one visit to Chelsea must enough to discourage a new gardener for life, rather than being inspirational.
I can understand that Chelsea is a showcase for exhibitors but admirable though some of the gardens are, they are totally uncrealistic for the average new gardener who wants to turn his tiny back garden into somewhere pleasant and affordable where he can sit and enjoy a glass of beer on summer evenings. I'd like to see a few showcase garden which have a low and affordable price limit on them which would be a real test of a garden designer's ingenuity. I sometimes think that one visit to Chelsea must enough to discourage a new gardener for life, rather than being inspirational.