Saturday @The_RHS Chelsea - More planting and finishing touches

Saturday always evapoates. I always think that we have loads of time to finish but Saturday somehow goes too quickly.  The last big day's staging involves filling in all those gaps that no-one wanted to do.  The plant selection gets thinner and it needs resource from the staging team to make it happen. They do a really brilliant job.
Here's my video blog for today for starters:

 

At teatime we get a visit from a photographer from The Sunday Express. He's after pictures of real live gnomes at Chelsea. At Hillier we like to make peoples dreams come true so we deliver real live gnomes for a photo call. He can't believe his luck. Neither can the camera crew filming for the Chelsea DVD so my gnomes skip through the exhibit followed by Papa Smurf Dorlay.

Graham Ross turns up from Beautiful Homes and Gardens, Australia TV and we do a piece for their show.  Must make sure my brother-in-law in Melbourne gets the heads up when its going out.



As the day draws into evening we seem well up together but there are still bits to finish off.
Tim has been taking pics all day: looks like some great ones.
Mark, Steve and Lucy have been labelling frantically. By 6p.m. we are up to 600 labels: I reckon there are probably another 200 to go.

 

Sunday already tomorrow. As ever I feel a twinge of regret. The best bit of Chelsea is nearly over for another year. But there's still tonight and its Eurovision night. All we need now is for Bonnie to take the title. Unlikely I fear but we can all dream.

Friday:Handbags at Dawn

Well its been an amazing day. The wonderful glass and copper sculptures by Mehrdad Tafreshi are in place. They are superb; what more can I say?

Gary has been in getting in touch with his female side; I asked him to share his Chelsea experience.

Gary:

I wish I could start this by telling you what day it is and how long i’ve been here but to be truthful the days began to merge a long time ago. All I can say is today is the day it all comes together. Lorry after lorry of plant material has been arriving, so finally we can begin to fill the voids between the epic trees we placed some days ago.

 Today is the day everyone begins to have their own little vision of what they want to create and will stop at nothing to pilfer the plant they so desire. Fragments  of the team begin to break away as you witness new  developing  parties  branching off into their own little sects. Once they have come together they reveal a look behind their eyes , a look of sheer determination.  They really will stop at nothing to get the prize plant they so desire. The whole episode of today takes plant hunting to another level, as we all rush to stock pile the best plants for our little Edens.

I must admit i have not lowered myself to theft at this stage although Sue does have a nice Uncinia that I have my eye on. I may have to send my compatriot Ben, into smuggle it away from her base later on once  the sun goes down.

Ben and myself have kept things small and detailed today focusing on the everglade type planting around our two gators. Word has it they are a bit too friendly looking to be scary monsters of the murky waters they were meant to be,  but this is Chelsea after all and how fitting that at the world’s biggest flower show, we have two gators who are so camp they look like they were born to be Gucci handbags!

Anyways  I am off to continue doing the masculine activity of titivating flowers, wish me luck.

Gary

Here’s my video blog for today:

 

 

@The_RHS Vandalism and Theft and Ben's Blog

Its Thursday afternoon and things are going well apart from the fact that we are running short of plants. Lots more tomorrow but there is a cetain amount of theft going on. As soon as you find the plant you are looking for someone comes and snatches it from under your nose. I suppose that's a risk you have tp ake at RHS Chelsea. 
There has been some vanmdalism though. I had just picked some lovely orange azalea 'Fireball' when Ricky came along and cut off all those long stems with just a few flowers on top. TThese were the eason I'd chosen them because I fancied seeing them sparking out of my ceanothus. Unforgiveable!
He's also stolen my solanums. Revenge.....
Anyway here's today's video blogs.

 

I've also asked Ben to share his thoughts with you. Knew you would like some sensible content!

Ben says:

It’s the Second day on the Chelsea site and things are really starting to take shape. The element of risk is beginning to manifest itself within the exhibition and I am starting to understand Andy’s vision. The Hillier team really know what they are doing so I’m trying to learn as much as possible from them. It’s amazing how fast time seem to be going, I must be having fun.

The plants look brilliant and considering how bad the season has been it must have required a lot of work selecting them and making sure that they are at the rite stage for the show. I must admit it is a little nerve racking when moving or squeezing past them.  I would hate to damage any of them considering how much work has gone into getting them to the stage they are at.   

             

   We have had three lorry loads of plants delivered to us today from various Hillier sites. Unlike yesterdays deliveries of large trees and shrubs today’s plants generally have more colour and aren’t quite as big. I have found that their positioning seems to require more thought and tweaking, as I come from a Fine Art background I am finding this very enjoyable and satisfying.

Today I have mainly been working on one particular area of the exhibit with a more experienced member of the team. I have found this really beneficial as they have been very good at explaining what we are doing and why, I think the biggest challenge for me will be to remember all of these tricks and tips.          

               Anyway back to work as there’s plenty more to do and I am staring to feel a bit guilty sat down blogging while everyone else is working hard around me. So far this has been an excellent experience and I can’t wait to see how the exhibit develops over the next few days.   

  

 

 

@The_RHS Chelsea - Wednesday Plants a plenty

Wednesday - First day for staging team on site. Polar conditions. I had to go over the the Lloyds Building in the heart of the city for a photo shoot with two lovely young ladies.

Chauffer driven over there by Mark in the Beazley S Class Mercedes - time to thaw out.  The girls were frozen but we warmed up with a few star jumps an managed to loo cheerful.
Great progress on site - ace team.
I asked Gillian to write a few words about the experience:

It is my very first day as part of the Hillier staging team reporting for duty at 8am bright-eyed and bushy tailed.  The rest of the team are slightly delayed in traffic so I have the chance to take in all the prep work that has gone beforehand.  I am in awe of the size of the trees – the tallest gracing the top of the pavilion:  wonderful structure and height, already softening the monument and the hard landscaping.  I also have the chance to talk to the build team about the Breeze blocks and rendering for the wall and put into action the theory learnt on my design course at The English Gardening School.  Hopefully, I am doing my lecturer proud.

The team arrives and I am immediately welcomed although I know that I will forget names or, worse still, rename some!  It is a sea of high-vis vests and the first of three lorries arrive.  The lorries are packed with trees and shrubs (more lorries to come tomorrow!).  It’s a high spirited atmosphere with wonderful camaraderie, friendly banter, gloves and secateurs at the ready.  All systems go as we unload the plants and try our best to site them where they may be needed later.  The word of the day and no doubt for many days to come is ‘turn’.  ‘Can you turn that Betula pendula just a bit?  No, no, the other way.  That’s it but just a little bit more.  Now move it out a bit. No, actually, move it back a little.’  There is no moaning.  No complaints.  We all understand that it has to be just right.  It’s like readjusting a crooked painting only it’s taking seven strong and fit men to move it.  This is the perfection; the standard that is set by the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and the Hillier team.

 I am sitting at a make shift table nearing the end of the day under the canopy of trees and the scent of the Syringa x josiflexa ‘Bellicent’ would be a perfumer’s delight.  The guys are working around me and the electrician wants to disconnect me so he can carry out tests.  They are also watering around me.  Water, electricity…hmm.  I know the theme is ‘Risk’ but do we really want to take it that far?  Actually, Health and Safety is paramount. 

I have learnt quite a few more plants names.  Retaining it will be the trick.  Andy McIndoe has been a gem with his design ideas.  They are pulling the chair out from under me.  Time to go.  Should sleep well tonight with a few aches and pains in the morning.

Here's Andy's video blog of the day:

The Coldest Day in May- @The_RHS Chelsea Flower Show

It just shouldn’t be like this. Quite pleasant, if a little chilly first thing but a ghastly forecast. Snow in South West and torrential rain and gales in the South. Suddenly those suede loafers and summer trews seem less appealing, even if they are pink. Ian calls to tell me the photo shoot outside the Lloyds building is set or Wednesday lunchtime. Think I’ll be freezing in my Bent Banani shirt but can’t be any colder than when Lynn and i were doing those pictures for the Amateur Gardening container feature at Easter. Mind you, I do look blue in those!

Chris came down from Banbury in time for the team briefing at 9 this morning. He’s got the day to load up he minibus and get used to it before we meet to depart for London at 5.45 tomorrow morning.Nigel tweets with a pic of the Sui Generis pools in position. They look amazing! I’m a bit worried about the other end; will make decisions on this when I get there. 

Around 3 a.m. the Sydney building was in a cloud of lilacs and foxgloves with silver leaves and aquilegias; all very pretty but is it risky? Maybe. That was my challenge to the team this morning at our staging meeting: risky colour combinations. Think I’ll be the one that struggles; I always want to co-ordinate.

Another load of trees arrived this morning.  

By the time I arrive on site around lunchtime they’ve been unloaded and Owen and I have an energetic couple of hours getting some of them into position. I like to get a bit of a framework in place to clear the decks for three lorries of plants on Wednesday.

On site the team have got on really well. Brian and the lads from organicstone have the pathway grouted; it looks fantastic. We agree to move the bean stoneisland, it just looks a little awkward with the decking.  I feel this area needs to look sociable and cosy; as it is it all looks a little estranged. Brian inspects every detail and seems happy.

The chaps from M&M Timber have done brilliantly and are just finishing off the edging. Neil follows behind and covers it with black polythene to prevent the muddy boots  of the staging team damaging the paintwork. If they do then we have to repaint which we would all rather avoid.

Paul and Damien are getting on with the electrics. It's important to have all of the main cables in place before too many plants are on the exhibit. 

Owen and I crack on with getting some of the acers, birches and malus into position plus a couple of mega cercidiphyllums. Neil and Nigel help us with the bigger ones, or should I say we help them a little. Amazingly some of the carpinus are really quite dry. Owen gives them a good soaking.

Tom comes over and we discuss the position of his other sculpture, it’s a really nice piece and will look stunning with the pools. We half consider relocating “Monument”, but we decide it looks great with The Monument so it stays where it is. 

Owen forms a close relationship with the crocodiles; they are rather lovely but they do have lethal teeth and spines.  However these are nowhere near as vicious as the spines of our Monkey Puzzle which unfortunately falls over an lacerates Maria’s cheek. She’s working as always on the Kirstenbosch exhibit. We move the monkey puzzle to be on the safe side.  I certainly don’t want to put it into position anywhere here I’ve got to push past it!

Tomorrow will be a long heavy day; are you ready for it?

Monday 13th May – Risky Progress! Hillier @The_RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Cool, grey and damp in Hampshire. This is often the weather we get in the run up to Chelsea.  Its funny, that’s never how I think of it. I suppose Chelsea is a bit like childhood holidays: you remember it as sunshine every day, not a cloud in the sky and never a problem.  I know Wes Fleming is excited – he’s tweeting well and the shot of their garden Nigel sent yesterday certainly looks impressive.  This of course is Wes’s last Chelsea; it must be true he said so. Think I’ve heard that somewhere before: I guess we are all a bit addicted!

Anyway the lads have made great progress over the weekend.  Looks like the trees have settled down after their journey to London and ordeal of being put into place.  They’ll enjoy the cool weather. We will too because it means slightly less watering: these are thirsty creatures. 

The team got excited on Saturday when my crocs turned up. No, not those shoes that no middle-aged man should ever be seen in, my African crocodile sculptures on loan from They really are quite magnificent.  I see them slinking through the gunneras, maybe with those twisted willows. I wonder who I’ll give that part of the exhibit to.  Pip suggested the crocs should be called Andy and Ricky. I asked which was which. She said the one with the nice legs was Ricky. Clearly beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I’m thinking she needs to spend time with these two.

 The M&M Timber team got the deck down and painted on Saturday – great job! Today they are putting up the building.  I’ve had it painted lavender; looks a bit darker than I imagined.  That’s one thing that you never really get used to; the light in the Pavilion plays tricks!

Steve and Luke have really cracked on laying the walkway through the exhibit. The organicstone paving looks simply amazing. They’ve already got the ‘Bean’ in place too. That’s what I like – decisiveness. I might have messed around for ages deciding on the angle; but now its down I know it will work.

I did have a bit of a sleepless night last night. I got rather cold feet over the colour I requested for the Sui Generis water features.  I want to do my best for these guys and I want the Aqua Corona pools to look awesome.  I also want the colour to work with Mehrdad’s crystal fountains. Anyway they are now on site and from the picture they look fabulous!

 

Of course they also have to work with Tom Stogdon’s towering sculpture ‘Monument’. They got this into position over the weekend and Tom sounded happy with where I’ve sited it.  I think we may have to raise it on a plinth so that it doesn’t get lost into the planting, but I’ll worry about that tomorrow.

Back at base Sue is packing up Tea, coffee, cakes and biscuits galore! That reminds me, I still need to buy the beer. Bent Banani have had a mega weekend on shirt sales; undoubtedly the model that’s made the difference. What do you mean who is it?

So far, so good. I’m not intending to head to the show today, however it’s hard to stay in the office. The gravity of Planet Chelsea is strong and maybe, just maybe I’ll be on a train to London very soon.

First day on site for Hillier @The_RHS Chelsea Flower Show The Arrival of the Treebeard and the Ents

A cool grey morning and a few spots of rain. My first thoughts are for the plane trees at showground. At least they will not be shedding that confounded choking dust that instils a feeling of impending pneumonia on arrival.  Sad news as I am driving to the station: Olympian Andrew “Bart” Simpson has been killed in a sailing accident in San Francisco bay. I first met Andrew in Cascais when I went out to Portugal; to meet The British Sailing Team at the beginning of the Skandia Sail for Gold Chelsea project just before the Beijing Olympics. He was such a nice guy and a great sailor and a wonderful host during my stay in Cascais and again in Weymouth. Have followed his progress ever since. Tragic.

My thoughts heading for London on the train turn to the big trees arriving later today.  I know the guys are on site: Nigel tweeted about covering the site with black polythene: the first job before we mark out the plan an start construction.  The BBC are due to film the arrival of the trees. My concern: I hope they fit. Rick and I have picked some monumental multi-stemmed birches. I normally go for more variety, this year I’m going for repetition.   I they work they’ll look phenomenal; if they are too tall for the Pavilion..............I’m not sure. 

We also picked one very big Cedrus deodara ‘Aurea’. It’s very wide and I’ve planned to use it near to the embankment end of the exhibit. Will it be too heavy and yellow with my crystal fountains?

Maybe I should explain: at the centre of each of the Aqua Corona pools by fibreglass moulding specialists Sui Generis are sculptures in glass an copper by Mehrdad Tafreshi of Quist. These are just being made and they are in my imagination and Mehrdad’s; are they the same?  I see them as fallen or inverted chandeliers in pink crystal: something between Doctor Who and Phantom of the Opera. I wonder how he sees them?

In my imagination they demand silver foliage, sapphire ceanothus and soft pink rhododendrons. But is that too safe? This is supposed to be risky after all!

By the time I arrive on site around 11a.m Steve and Luke are with Brian laying out the paving for the pathway. The plan is already marked out: the building looks like a big space. I hope that I’ve left enough room for the planting. The lorry with the trees is in the Pavilion – a very big artic. With very big trees. Help! There is a cameraman and sound man from the BBC waiting to capture the moment.

The sheets are soon off the lorry. Two of the multi-stemmed birches are the first to come off; they are enormous. It’s certainly nerve racking watching Neil lift the rootball with Ben adjusting the straps as necessary an directing from the lorry. Nigel is on the top of the load lifting and pushing the head of the tree to release it from those that lie beneath. We gradually get the tree to the ground and then it takes all of us to “walk” it upright. It reaches to within a few centimetres of the roof of the Great Pavilion; it’s close! We’ve made some makeshift ramps with sand and timber to help the forklift to make the move across the monument plinth. Neil and Nigel are confident; I’m optimistic but can’t help envisaging one of these Ents crashing down and taking the Monument with it. 

Gradually all the trees are coaxed into position. I try to balance the colour and form through the picture. I know if I get this stage right its easier as we work down though the layers.  It’s really important not to have any voids in the upper canopy, or areas where the foliage is just too heavy.  I have to say that our trees have a lot more foliage than most in the showground.

By the end of the day the trees are in position and watered, the path is progressing well. We discuss the levels of the pools and adjust the position of the building. Good progress. 

The boys have set up their camp on site complete with fridge, kettle, mugs and chairs. It has a homely feeling and seems strangely familiar. Have we ever left or is this a continuation of last year. As I head out of the Pavilion I take in the comforting chaos of the outside gardens and the embryo trade stands. Everyone has that focused confusion that I recognise as the key to evolution of this extraordinary place. The dread of Chelsea on the horizon has evaporated; it feels good to be back home on Planet Chelsea!