It’s Chelsea Flower Show week!
Although there is no actual “show” this year, there is lots to see online at Virtual Chelsea 2020.
Poppy: Jodie Randall (rspb-images.com), Tulip Tulipa sp: Sue Kennedy (rspb-images.com)
The BBC is also still airing a live programme at 8pm Monday to Friday with Monty Don and Joe Swift from their gardens at home looking back at many Chelsea highlights. Last night (Monday 18thMay 2020) they referenced one of the big gardening trends of 2019 as “loose” planting; designers were embracing a more natural and wild look in many gardens steering away from the structured prim and perfect styles from years past.
Great news or us wildlife gardeners! … and it’s true that the natural look was a hit as Mark Gregory’s Welcome to Yorkshire garden won both a gold medal and the people’s choice best show garden.
Perhaps we feel somehow more emotionally nourished and enveloped by the countryside and wilderness as they manage to convey a real “place”. Wilder looking gardens seem to be less about control, order and “performance” in a garden and more about a sense of softness, harmony and embracing our natural world rather than trying to control it.
This year, designer Tom Massey has a natural planting scheme in his Yeo Valley Organic Garden, inspired by the English countryside and inviting wildlife in. He also features online this Friday 22nd May planting a front garden in the style of a mini meadow to encourage pollinators.
You can see all the ideas for the 2020 show gardens here: Chelsea Show Gardens 2020
There will be lots of ideas throughout the week to inspire us at home… including this fun activity to do with the kids on making a Seed Bomb!
Additional programming on the BBC about Chelsea includes “Making the Most of Nature” at 3.45pm tomorrow, Wed 20th May.