It feels a bit weird not to be at Chelsea now I’m back. You get caught up in the buzz and excitement on the showground and this year it’s been an extraordinary show. Although I was privileged to be there for a full two days before it officially opened, I was rushing about so much that I still don’t feel I saw it all.
In fact when I woke up yesterday morning after the long and late drive home, I wondered if I had been there at all. Was it a dream?
It’s two jam packed days of horticultural excellence, seasoned heavily with all the greats from gardening including the celebs, the media, the plants, the designers and much, much more. It’s a bit like gorging on the finest cuisine at the most luxurious hotel constantly for two whole days. After a while you can’t savour the flavours or appreciate the quality, it just all blurs into one. But what a week it was. The weather was extraordinary. It didn’t rain and it has actually cooled off a little bit for the plants, gardens and visitors. Phew!
My highlights from the show?
Wandering through the cool showground very early on Monday morning when the only stars around are the plants and the gardens.
Watching the show unfold as exhibitor after exhibitor completed their creations.
Spotting a fox footprint in the soil in the marquee, where a puzzled animal had wandered through during the night.
A welcome cream tea complete with scone, clotted cream, strawberry jam and a tea bag, delivered to my desk as I worked on some copy for the RHS website.
Seeing my friend Jekka McVicar launch her first herb cook book, along with her talented daughter Hannah, who has illustrated the tome with her delightful work.
Meeting Jamie Oliver on the stand and forgetting to tell him how he hit me on the head last week when he fell from a great height from my bookshelf (OK it was one of his books that hit me!).
Chatting to Bill Oddie about the plight of the rainforests and then comparing him to a garden gnome when he admitted his one complaint about the show was the lack of gnomes.
Watching and listening to John Cooper Clark (Punk Poet extraordinaire) as he read risqué poems to an appreciative crowd and some very puzzled, well dressed ladies!
Spotting HRH Prince Phillip walk by as we ate junk food on a picnic bench in the food court round the back of the showground late on Monday night.
The wonderful aroma of herbs, lavender, strawberries and more as I wandered through the marquee in search of stories.
And the worst bits:
The extreme heat.
The pollen from the plane trees.
The journey home.
The burst water pipe that awaited my return.
