Thursday 11 July 2013

RHS Hampton Court Flower Show in 10 ...



  •  A surprise message popped up on my Twitter page on Monday - with congratulations, I had won 2 tickets to the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show from Sophie Conran! There may or may not have been an excited squeal. Then I went into panic mode because my reply kept failing so I had to anxiously wait for 24 hours to see if it was actually true. Time felt as though it was ticking away as the only day I was going to be able to honour the tickets was yesterday as my week was all accounted for. In a flurry of emails on Tuesday evening, it all fell into place.  Rather aptly, considering my backyard companions (scroll down through the post!), Sophie is one of a team of designers who have created a henhouse, all of which are being auctioned, with the proceeds going to the RHS Campaign for School Gardening.








  • After a journey that comprised of a car drive to my Mum's (who was my companion for the day), a bus, a tube, a train and finally a boat down the short stretch of the Thames from Hampton Court Station to the entrance of the show, we finally arrived to a gloriously sunny day. Perhaps it was the soaring temperatures that drew me to the cooler coloured plantings. This Willow Pattern garden reminded me of Alice.






  • This garden won Best in Show and I loved the planting and the idea behind it. I'm thinking of adding something watery to my garden in the autumn. The agapanthus were absolutely enormous - I must read up on how to increase the flower size on mine, which has been in decline over the years.




  • I think this was actually my favourite stand in the show. I love everything about it. It was by Wild Thyme Nursery in the Floral Marquee.




  • I made notes and took photos of many plants I would like to add to my garden, including this dahlia from The National Dahlia Collection.





  • This rose, that I will be on the look out for in the autumn to plant as a bare-root plant. So pretty.





  • I think finding a spot for this climbing rose is a high priority, with its namesake patrolling the garden on an hourly basis!





  • I loved the Franchi Seed stand in the Growing for Taste marquee. We arrived just after they'd had a royal visitor apparently! 





  • If the mood took you, there was copious amounts of opportunity to spend, spend, spend. I could only dream ... about the greenhouse of my dreams ... maybe one day ...






  • I did concede to one purchase other than a packet of seeds! I bought the 2 clematis shown here to use with the willow support I made last year. They are fabulously healthy plants and full of buds and promise. Cool spectrum colours again, and a reminder of a wonderful day out.






9 comments:

  1. Oh Wow -- how fabulous would a garden show be at Hampton Court? You lucky girl -- thanks for sharing your beautiful photos!

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  2. What a wonderful prize! It looks a great day out, and I love your clematis too - happy memories for years to come!

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  3. oh it looks heavenly, what a wonderful day out, and truly inspiring x

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  4. What a perfect prize! And yes, that Joie de Vivre rose is heavenly :D

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  5. What a great prize and fabulous day out.

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  6. That does sound like a perfect day and lovely that it was a prize too! I'd love a greenhouse like that one too - it's nice to daydream isn't it? Looking forward to seeing your new plants in theor new home and also seeing what your notes and photos develop into.

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  7. Oh you lucky thing! Goodness, it looks as though there were so many good things to see. I love the look of that prize- winning garden and it looks as thoughwe are both drawn to the same colours. That reminds me, I might treat myself to an agapanthus...

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  8. oh lucky you! I'm not that much into gardening as you know, but I would love to go to that show!

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  9. Such a pleasant place in London. Like to see all those beautiful flowers.

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