The 2014 Chelsea Flower Show Opens In Style

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is off to a fabulous start as usual.  The show was previously known as the Great Spring Show when it first started back in 1862.  It has gone from strength to strength each year and attracts both local and international celebrities as well as the royal family.  The Queen herself was present and accepted an invitation to take a walk through a replica trench that took her through a floral display designed in honour of the fallen soldiers of World War I.

The day prior to the official opening allowed celebs to make their way around the show without having to navigate through the usual masses that attend the show each year.  It is also the allocated time during which the judges examine each exhibit and declare the winners.  This year, the main different is that competitors are provided with a written evaluation.  For those who struggle with criticism, this may be a bitter pill to swallow but, for others, it can prove to be a valuable tool in terms of pointers for next year’s show.

With the announcement of this year’s winners, visitors will also be able to take note of the most spectacular displays in order to make the most of their visit.  Many visitors admit that the show is so huge that they are barely able to view everything in a single day!

The winner of the Best Show Garden Award this year went to the Laurent-Perrier Garden designed by Luciano Giubbilei.  You can’t help but notice its use of various elements of light and texture to help compliment the design.  The Japanese garden, Togenkyo – Paradise on Earth by Kazuyuki Ishihara, won the award for Best Artisan Garden.  The garden beautifully depicted the peaceful paradise where people could go to escape their problems.  The award for Best Fresh Garden went to Mind’s Eye by LDC Design for their creative sensory garden designed for the blind and partially sighted.  The Diamond Jubilee Award in the Great Pavillion went to South West in Bloom and Birmingham City Council won the prestigious President’s Award.

As for the plant of the year at the 2014 Chelsea Flower Show, Ryoji Irie has reason to celebrate!  The Hydrangea macrophylla Miss Saori (‘H20-2’) is an attractive bloom with striking deep rose margins that gently fade into white centres.  These plants thrive in sunny and semi-shade parts of the garden.  They bloom in June and are known to be a hardy bunch.  These long-lasting flowers can also be used as cut flowers which makes then that much more appealing to gardeners and florists alike.