Episode 1 Hampton Court Palace Flower Show

It is July. High summer and time for the Royal Horticultural Society

Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. Now in its 22nd year. As well as

all the incredible flowers that you could possibly grow, this year

there is a real emphasis on edible plants and a celebration of the

wildlife that we can bring in our gardens. It is not only the Hampton

Show Gardens that are a feast for the eyes. There are some dazzling

summer displays for the visitors to enjoy.

Hampton Court is the largest Show. Tonight, Rachel, Joe and myself

will be giving you a pre-view of the highlights. Coming up, Joe and

I look at the medal contenders in the large show gardens. We shall be

looking at the inspiration behind the gardens which is a category

unique to Hampton Court. Rachel catches a glimpse of the new

Hello. Welcome to the 2011 Royal Horticultural Society Hampton Court

Palace Flower Show. It is set in the grounds of this fabulous palace

surrounded by 750 acres of beautiful park. The show opens

tomorrow and remains open until Sunday. The three of us had a

chance to have a quick peek around and what struck me initially was

the show gardens themselves are of high quality, the finish is good.

They look really good. The con accept actual gardens which I am

interested in. This is where art and gardening crosses over and

there is nine this year and they look good.

It is not just deseen, it is plants and I have been in the floral

marquee. It is a sea of of blooms. It is a sight worth seeing.

I'm sure there will be lots of gold medals inside the floral marquee.

Outside last year only one of the maujor show gardens -- major show

gardens was awarded gold. Joe and I have been around to see how the

This garden is called the The Stockman's Retreat. It is by Chris

beard shaw. As you walk past and look through, you gaze through a

look through, you gaze through a perfect mixed border. All the

levels vary, the colours harmonising and looking through it,

you see this charming little little cottage. You need to come round to

the side and have a look because there is a winding track. The thing

you just glimpse as you are on a walk and what strikes me about it

is the degree of skill and sophistication that goes into

making show gardens now and particularly to make it look as

though it is completely natural. There are weeds growing between the

stones. The dry stone wall is tumbling down. There is an

incredible skill in making it look as though nothing has happened.

There is so much going on here if you just walk by, you will only get

highlighting peace one day which is a charity that does international

work about bringing harmony to the hole world. -- whole world. I love

the way they have got the theme and run with it. In the planting it has

been separated out by the steel circles and initially they are

separate, but they start mingling together. The largest rounded

border at the front incorporates the plants in the garden and shows

the whole is greater than some of its past. These birch are wonderful.

It is the perfect choice of plants creating a canopy. It is a

fantastic effort from some first try to impress you with their

beauty. And And others that have a powerful message. This garden does

both. Its message is powerful and strong which is that we should grow

more apples. But also it is beautiful. It really shows how the

fruit and apple trees in particular can combine to make a lovely garden.

I like the way that it flows from the edge where you have this mixed

hedge and the long grass and the apple trees and then you move into

the central area which is sophisticated. There is a lot going

on. You never feel overwhelmed by the design or the message. It just

has a strong Japanese theme. Low maintenance plants are used.

Japanese gardens take their inspiration from the natural world

beyond and they are recreated on a microscale. Here we have rocks and

a path, but the gravel that has been used to fill the voids in

between, but this is a resin bonded gravel. It let's the water through,

but it stays in one shape so you can walk on it. At the back of the

garden, we have Bruce's bauble with a cherry blossom motif. It is a

garden pod really, but the idea is that we have got a world within a

world. So here is a computer connected up to the internet and it

will take you into cyberspace. Remember tonight's programme is

just a sneak pre-view of what we are offering at this year's show.

Because there will be two programmes on Thursday and Friday

this week. In those, we will be taking a closer look at the gardens

here, large, small, the conceptual and those dedicated to our greatest

poets. In 2009 one designer got visitors here talking about her

small sustainable garden entitled Oak Tree Lying In State. She is

back with a strong environmental message. Fiona is working with the

WWF. Together they aim to highlight the importance of water

conservation and specifically our natural chalk streams which meant a

trip for Fiona to the river in trip for Fiona to the river in

Hampshire. Chalk streams are a habitat found

in the south of England and cher characterised which very clear

water. Water that's been filtered through aqua fers over a long

period. When the water re-emerges, it is very clear, clean, pure and

pure, but a lot of water is taken out to supply domestic housing and

out to supply domestic housing and industry. There is not enough water

in in aquifers for both. The habitat that we are creating at

Hampton Court will evoke the spirit of English countryside. We are

including an area of meadow and meadows are a thing that were part

afchalk stream -- of a chalk stream habitat. This is a typical chalk

stream meadow and what I'm really looking for that I can re-create in

the show garden is the way that the plants sway and group together. So

clearly here we have got a nice group of irises and then it moves

into meadow sweet and much finer leaves of sedge and back into

irises and it is feeling that texture and light and shade that I

want to create in the garden. One of the characteristics of this part

are the grasses. They are almost like big hair, quite fun. We were

here a few weeks ago digging up some. It was a real mission to dig

them. It took about seven people to dig up one. We have promised to

replace them and they are growing on nicely so they will be in the

show garden. In order to create a believable

chalk stream feeling, the two elements that we need to be

achieving are clarity of the water, and flow and within that these

bright emerald green sculptural plants within the water.

These water plants are just amazing. The water stalwart, the cushiony

plates formed by them. The water parsnip is more on the bottom and

the water crowfoot is long and willowy and me andering and waving

through the water. It is just beautiful.

I will be very happy if the garden, when it is finished, looks

believable. Even if it has a few percent of the beauty and serenity

and inspiration that one feels from going to a real chalk stream. I

will feel as if I've really I must say Fiona, you have achieved

a wonderful naturalistic garden. Are you pleased with it? I'm very

pleased. Tell me about the metal spheres?

are taking the spheres away from the stream and they are

representing water droplets. So the way they come out of the

stream, they are getting bigger and bigger and making the scale of the

problem more evident. What about the scale? I have used

the biggest grass I can find. You are attracting so much wildlife

You are attracting so much wildlife into this garden.

It is full, isn't it? It is lovely to see the bees and the crane flies

and dragonflies. Let's go to the stream. You wanted

it to be quite rapid, didn't you? We are now travelling at 15 litres

a second. It makes you realise how much water there is in a real

stream. I know you have won a gold medal

before. Do you feel under pressure to achieve that with this garden?

Yes. I know we are taking a risk because we are leaving much more

decayed foliage in. I would rather do that and make it feel more

naturalistic. Well, I think you have got the

balance just about right. Rose you are from the WWF, how bad

is the problem that we are trying to highlight? The chalk streams are

a unique. There are only 200 in the a unique. There are only 200 in the

whole world and most are in England. They are a key source of our water

supply and what we are hoping this garden will do is inspire people to

think about where water comes from and make that connection between

the water that they use at home, in their gardens and the water in the

natural environment at chalk stream. Gardeners will be torn because they

want to help with conservation, but they need to water their gardens.

So what can we do to help? Well, it is really important that gardeners

use water wisely and make sure every drop counts. Simple things

like making the most of rainwater and making sure they use the right

amount of water on the right plants at the right times. Gardens are

really special environments too. It is a really great way that people

can enjoy nature in their back yard. I am so glad you said that. Best of

luck with the garden. I think it is wonderful.

One of the most interesting compeubts at the show -- exhibits

is the Edible Garden. It is more than just one garden. You can argue

it is more than edible plants. The it is more than edible plants. The

scale is enormous. There are lots of different sections from a hop

yard, an orchard and pond and I like the way connections are made

beyond the growing plants. We have a cider press to take the fruits of

the orchard. We see baskets made from willow that's grown. There is

conventional gardening in it too. We have got flowers mingled in with

vegetables, but at the same time it challenges our ideas of what is

possible to grow in the garden. So a lavender field with olives.

Perhaps this is what we could be doing in our gardens with climate

change. The same with the vineyard. I particularly liked the way that

it breaks the boundaries of what we might be doing in our back gardens

and includes all kinds of aspects of British life. Really good and

stimulating. Now, coming up on tonight's programme:

Rachel is in the floral marquee checking out exciting new additions.

My eye has been caught by this. We will meet one person who is

making their first show garden despite wait waiting to give give

birth to twins. If you have any comments, you can

Hampton Court has the largest of the floral marquees, there are 9272

exhibitors. Each showing their own form of seasonal colour, but for

one, who is here at Hampton Court just for the second time, well,

that colour has to come in the shape of hemara callis.

I've always been keen on plants, since I was a child. I had an

allotment with my grandfather. We would grow vegetables and exhibit

at the local flower shows. We dug out pictures from the loft recently,

they go back to those days. In my previous life I worked for a

supermarket. I would travel the world looking after quality issues,

flowers, looking at perhaps roses and carnations in Kenya. I envied

the grocers that I would visit. I thought it was a wonderful way of

life, having a nursery attached to where I live -- to where they lived

and no commute. I really wanted to do that. This is the lifestyle I

used to dream about. My family are involved. They work at the bottom

of the garden. It's the dream lifestyle.

I always liked hemma callis. I started out with orange, then

yellow, then red. My mission really is to communicate

to gardeners what wonderful flowers they are. There is a huge range of

colours, size of flowers and extended flowering period. The main

flowering start in -- starts in June and goes on into August. A lot

of the new plants have a rebloom habit. It sends up another spike

with further flowers and possibly beyond that. It could flower into

the frost. The netting is an idea that I picked up from grocers I

visited in Kenya. It provides a bit of protection from the wind, from

the sun it keeps the plants cleaner. These flowers are really difficult

to get just right for the show. It depends on the weather. If you move

them, the floors are inclined to close, they don't look as good as

they do at home it is a matter of growing numbers and selecting the

correct plants on the day. This is a variety I'm hoping to have at

Hampton Court, it is called Shadows of the Pyramids. It has a beautiful

colour, a beautiful form. I think it is improved on the old-fashioned

varieties. Hemmracallis are not affected by

diseases. They are a member of the lily

families, but without the problems. One of the recent pests that

arrived in this country is Gordon Brownish. If you see bugs that are

swollen, slap them off and put them in a bag and put them in the

rubbish. Not on the come post heap. They will hatch out and come back

against next year. Last year I displayed the flowers at Hampton

Court for a silver guilt. The challenge this year is to go a bit

better. I have a bigger site, I have more plants, I'll be trying

that bit harder. Paul, lots of good colour, but

these are such a tricky plant to show? They are great garden plants.

If you start to move them, it could be difficult. You put them in a van

to move them, they tend to sulk! Now, some see them as a traditional

plant and don't know how to ease them in a contemporary setting or

update them, what do you say to that? A lot of people know the old

fashioned orange and yellow varieties, but there are many

improvements that have become available. A lot of the new

varieties such as the All American Chief or SaboyenneBur have a

tremendous range of colours, beautiful eyes and edges. It really

helps to get the gardener to understand the modern vierts.

are some beauties. All American Chief. I like that.

So this is more about showing your passion for the flower and getting

people involved? It is, to bring to the gardener's attention the

wonders of the flower today. Of course, these wonderful flowers

are not the only midsummer bloom that flower at this time of year.

Here, you are bowled over by the flowers at peak. Before the show

opened Rachel had a good look impossible to miss. Look at these

Dallas. Such a variety of shape and of course colour. They must be one

of the star performers in the midand the late season garden. I

grow them in a mixed border, but I have a small bed packed in my

kitchen garden so many to cut for the house.

I have found something a little different here on the Lockyear

Stand. These are all spiky members of the

salanium family. You can see the spiky stems coming around. The

common name is purple Devil. That speaks volumes. This is from Africa,

it is Snake Apple. Although they are from the same family as the

potatoes and the tomatoes, I would not recommend eating these fruits,

they are toxic. If you fancy having a go at these they grow well from

seed. Put them on a pot and keep them in a patio. They then must be

moved, they are not hardy. When you do move them, watch out for the

spikes! Here there is a wonderful display of midand late season

flowers like the value via. The akila, but my eye is caught by this

inQana. It is a combination of apricot flowers and the fowlians --

fowliage that is unusual. It does best in a warm shelter position. It

likes a nice open, gritty soil. Harvest Garden Plants are showing

this double echinacea. It is called Hot Papaya. Here there are two

species of echinaceas. There is Para docks, it comes from

Texas, it is long with a long tap root to search out the moisture,

and this one is the purpurea. The root system there is more fibrous.

This is what this one has inherited. This is the first with the orange

colouring to have that character International Cricket Council.

-- character cystic. It looks beautiful here against the

dahlia. Hampton Court has become known for

its conceptual gardens. These are the designs that challenge our

traditional notion of a garden. There are nine this year. The most

ever shown at Hampton Court. For one of the new designers it has not

one of the new designers it has not been with out challenges.

Anoushka Feiler found out days after the Hampton Court had

accepted the design, that she was expecting twins. In Anoushka's case

her dad was the first port of call. I chose to do the Concept Garden

category. I think it is a very exciting area of garden design.

MUSIC:: Skies skies -- Excuse Me While I Kiss The Sky.

Excuse Me While I Kiss The Sky is a fantastic quote from Jimi Hendrix

that encapsulate what I want the garden to feel like.

What I wanted to create was a space that people come into that allows a

sense of being able to see things from a different perspective.

The concept design really allows you to make a statement beyond the

norm. You can just go bonkers as you like.

I think that is a really freeing prince yipl.

The concept be -- principal. The -- principle.

The concept is to have a mirror around the garden. The affect is to

have that of a sky reflecting all the way around the boundary. I went

to a set designer e, they came back with a fantastic quote of �25,000.

Awhich point I thought I would not be able to do this. I thought I

would give my old dad a call and see ewhat he thinks about this

problem! Anoushka phoned mow one Sunday morning.

I knew straight away what she was after, but I had to play hard to

get. He is wonderfully talented with his

hands. He loves working with wood and loves unique projects. I was

hoping that I might persuade him. She seemed to think that I would

not really want to be involved in it, but deep down I would have been

desperately cross if I wasn't shal It was really about trying towork

out what she wanted and to work out the best way that I could do it.

I had two different areas for planting.

The first area is the ground level planting.

That is a sea of agapanthus. They have lovely blue heads.

The other plants I'm using are the plants for the jupsierddown garden.

The planting there d -- the upside down planting.

It did prove a little tricky. I have chosen plants that are

tolerant to part shade. I went for hostas and ferns. I love the

fantastic colour variation in the greens and I wanted to create a

large text tuerl ceiling which have hints of blue so I then picked on a

few different varieties such as a Campanula to bring out the blue and

tie it into the rest of the garden. I found out the same week that I

was doing Hampton Court that I was also pregnant with twins, so I will

be about four weeks off full term with the twins.

Hopefully, even if I hang myself upside down, I will still be there!

Well, you are here! All three of you at the show! Of course, you

must have had a lot of help with the build? My friends and family

have been hands on deck for the last two weeks. I couldn't have

done it without them. What about the title of the garden?

Excuse Me While I Kiss The Sky, it is a Jimi Hendrix quote. I used the

metaphor the sky is the limit as inspiration for the garden. Every

element is about seeing the sky and if you want to have a big idea you

really have to reach for the sky and go for it.

The idea of having plants hanging down, where did that come from?

Well, I was on a trip to Venice. I went into a room and I was handed

a mirror. When I looked into the mirror I saw this wonderful ceel of

reconnaissance paintings, it was -- I saw this wonderful ceiling of

renaissance paintings. I thought it was such a wonderful experience. I

wanted to have it in my garden. I love the colour, the way it is

reflected? When it is sunshine and cloud you get to see the movement

right the way through the garden as you walk around it. That gives a

lovely dynamism. So no view is ever the same.

Well, Excuse Me While I Kiss The Sky is the idea, what a bufl garden.

Congratulations. -- what a beautiful garden. I hope

tonight's preview has whetted your appetite to come down here and see

the show for yourself. We shall be here on Thursday and Friday. We

will be joined by Alys Fowler, hunting out plant stories and

talking to obsessive plant collectors. We have an interview