We were up and out early today so we could enter the Chelsea Flower Show when it opened at 8 a.m.
It was a wise decision since there were very few people. We could get up close and personal with the displays and take pictures ( I took 433!)
The attention to detail in the displays is pretty amazing, whether it was vegetables,
begonias,
bulbs,
roses,
carnivorous plants
or orchids or lupines--I do have lupine envy.
It was almost overwhelming, there were so many things to admire.
Exhibitors are invited to show their wares at the Chelsea Flower Show and they pay a pretty premium to do so.
The display gardens were all outdoors and they have two weeks to set them up.
They too are invited to display and it is a huge honor to be chosen for a garden. Kate Middleton the duchess of Cambridge had a garden display and the line to walk through it was quite long. We looked at it from the outside.
By 10:30 it was getting more crowded and by noon it was packed. After we ate lunch, we went back into the tents to see if we missed anything, but it was too crowded to tell. Everyone was quite courteous. They don't allow small children or baby strollers, so we only saw two infants in carriers on the mothers, and 3 other children the whole day.
We also saw a lot of choices for outdoor living, from a huge selection of greenhouses, to patio furniture of all designs, to garden art, water features, outdoor cooking and more. You could buy a wide range of things from plants (which we can't bring back), to clothing, seeds, garden tools, and much, much more.
There were numerous food and beverage vendors around the grounds, including champagne and Pimms Cups.
We saw so many new plant introductions,
comparisons of varieties side-by-side and we all have created our wish lists once we get home.
Once I get home I will try to post more pictures. It is hard to decide on which of the 433 to show.
Our bus came back at 1:30 and over half of our group was on it.
Some left earlier and some wanted to stay longer.
There were some great gardening quotes printed on walls throughout the show. I thought this one was great.
S It was a great day and we were back at the hotel by 2:15 and had time to rest or explore on our own. A few of us went to the National Gallery and saw some tremendous art.