Episode 5 RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Here at Chelsea 2012 the months of planning, tantrums, tears, hand

wringing nail biting and pacing are finally over, because the RHS

judges have debated and decided. There isn't a single exhibitor in

this showground who hasn't dreamt of weigh up to one of these - a

coveted gold medal. It's judgment day and we've got the results.

Coming up on today's show: goals un fomed. We put the show gardens

under the microscope to find out who has won what and why. The good,

the glad and the lovely, meet the nursery newbies who struck gold.

And a touch of drama. Actress Stephanie Cole joins us to talk all

things gardening. Hello and welcome back to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show,

supported by M&G Investments. It takes a lot more than a dash of je

ne sais quoi to win over the judges here at Chelsea. Standards are high,

because this show has a reputation to keep up. Think of it as a

horticultural catwalk that the world looks to for inspiration,

ground-breaking ideas and visionary concepts in garden. An oversight in

the design, an unbalanced composition could all mean the

difference between gold and silver gilt. Nothing less than

horticultural excellence will do here. Chris, the last time we spoke

you were quite adamant. You said this garden wouldn't win a gold

because it wasn't fashionable. Tell us what happened. Well, we got a

gold, which I'm staggered about. Congratulations! Why do you think

this garden is fashionable that would go against it? It is informal,

it's wide land, it is traditional, plant-rich rather than

architectural-rich and those aren't the gardens that have been catching

the judges' eyes in 15 years. a few thatna have thrifrd for you

on gold today that are back in -- name a few that have delivered for

you on gold today? Blousey bloomers are the way forward. If you like

that, they loveed what they saw. This morning you were speechless.

am so staggered, so pleased. We are delighted for you. Thank you.

Theing a nising wait for Chelsea 2012 med adresults -- the agonising

wait for Chelsea 2012 medal results ended this morning. I set my alarm

clock to share in the delight and the devastation at the results that

had the power to reduce grown men and women to tears were hand

delivered. We are waiting for the RHS ladies to arrive, because this

is what it is all about today, the much-coveted gold medal.

Congratulations. Well done. Has it been a really hard Chelsea?

Everybody knows it has. It's been a nightmare. Give me a min it, please.

Thank you. This means a lot doesn't How did you do? Fantastic. We won

gold! Congratulations. We got a gold? Alan will be delighted. He

might have to be nice to you now. Congratulations. A gold medal.

medal, guys. Well done indeed. I love this job. I get all the kisses.

How do you feel? Elated. We are just heading to the artisan

gardens now. How do you feel? Gutted. Are you?

What an amazing morning's work. Tremendous.

I have to say, the atmosphere was electric this morning, as word

spread that an incredible nine gold medals had been awarded in the show

gardens. Chris, when you are not winning gold medals you are a judge

for the RHS. How does it work? gardens aren't judged against one

another, but ointly. You can have nine, ten, 12, perhaps no gold

medals. You write a brief and do you achieve your ambitions? The

assessors interrogate the garden. Then they feed into the judges.

They come out and giver their objective opinions. Everybody votes

and hopefully you get a gold medal. For everybody at Chelsea they have

to be a fantastic standard. Whether you get a bronze, a silver gilt or

a gold it is an achievement. certainly is. Just like the

Olympics it's the gold medals that everyone is talking about. Chris

went the look at the show garden designs that hit the horticultural

jackpot. Sarah Price may be a new girl on the block at Chelsea Flower

Show but her first, he very first large show garden blew the judges

away. I'm not alall surprised. This is a garden that set out to evoeck

the spirit and the beauty, the romance of the British countryside.

It does it in spades. The birch trees casting dappled shade,

nestling under the Avenue here at Chelsea. The planting underneath is

so beautiful and so subtle. The orchids and geranium all mingling

and mixing. As you move further down the garden formality starts to

creep in. The stones and rocks been herks wn and sawn. The water is --

hewn. The subtle planting starts to re-emerge. This is the most

difficult style of planting you can attempt - making plants look as

though they want to be here ir respective of whether the crowds

are lining the barriers. This was a gold. Peter Dowell's Corsican

garden won a gold. Jihae Hwang's brave line from the

small gardens to the Main Avenue paid off as she impressed the

judges and scooped gold with her thought provoking demilitarised

zone, to commemorate the anniversary of the Korean conflict.

Representing the art of craftsmanship, this is a gardener's

garden, packed with plants, especially the favourites, the

convince essential English roses. It is incredibly formal in

structure. Wonderful polished stone, a canal of mosaic pebbles, these

fabulous copper beech, and dotted amongst the garden absolute

formality of topiary. Primped and preened, scissors on every blade.

But the real delight is what happens undertheeth that formal

structure. It is the wash of herbaceous perennials, roses and

annuals, the cut flowers. They sweep in like an advancing tide

towards the gardener's ankles. It's a delight to be in this garden.

And as we saw earlier, even though he was late, Joe Swift was playing

it cool after his win for his very first Chelsea garden. Inspired by

the plants and natural features on his doorstep. Joe loved his Finnish

garden and the judges nodded in agreement. Gold also went to this

garden, A Rural M Hurricane se, inspired by the poet John Clare.

Native planting is key to this design.

And gold was awarded to Andy Sturgeon's traditional Arts and

Crafts garden that he updated for the modern world. The energy wave

structure that weaves its way through the garden has a modern

quality and the copper can complemented by the soft colour

palette in the planting. What sets this garden apart is the attention

to detail of a seasoned Chelsea designer. The colour of the copper

picks out the colour of the catzura. There's a wonderful candy floss

smell around this garden as the breeze animates the foliage. The

fact that when you descend the steps, there's three steps in the

classical style along the canal. There's a real sense of

spaciousness in this garden. The reflective canal helps with that

sense of space and liberation. But even the canal is not left to be

still and static and dead. This animated in an incredibly subtle

way with just a few jets creating the mur muring waves to keep your

eye focused. And the planting is to die for. Large plants used with

confidence, but a reserved palette. This garden has a sense of life.

It's a garden you walk into and think, I really want to be here.

You breathe deep, relax and take your time.

The judges have awarded Diarmuid Gavin's 80 foot pyramid with a

silver gilt. He also won the most creative show garden award. One

thing is for sure, it will be entertaining the crowds all this

week. There is one more gold to reveal but we are saving the Best

in Show till last. We'll tell you later in the programme. In the

Great Pavilion even the die-hard Chelsea veterans get stressed on

medals day, so imagine what it is like for those who've never shown

here before. In the spirit of keep calm and exhibit on, Carol went to

find out how some Great Pavilion first timers had fard under the

judges' glare. This year under this roof there are seven brand-new

exhibitors, and of them four have won gold. All that preparation, all

that work has been worthwhile. First Chelsea, first gold. Well

done Gary. Thank you very much Carol. What time but come in?

here at seven o'clock this morning, but I'm really delighted with the

gold medal. This big wait daisy... It is fabulous. It has taken a lot

of hard work, because of the way the groeg season's been, it has

taken a lot of hard work to get things in flower, particularly the

Celenesia. I'm pleased with how things have gone. When due make up

these pots? Some of them have been made up for maybe a few months but

others are left until the day we build up. Were you sitting in the

van arranging them? Almost! Wherever you look, everything is

just perfect. It is pristine. Your first Chelsea gold. I hope it's the

first of many more. Well done. Thank you very much Carol.

John has come to exhibiting rather later than most people. This is his

first Chelsea. And he's pulled it off. He has won a gold. It is

hardly surprising really. It's what you call bijou. He's made the most

of the the whole idea of height within it. And the ferns are

beautifully arranged and each one of them is a perfect specimen. Not

a frond out of place. Well done. It's brilliant. Well

done. Congratulations. First Chelsea, first gold. Absolutely.

And how did you feel when you first saw that medal? Lost for words.

That will be a first! Lit for me. You look as though you've been

celebrating already? I haven't stopped crying yet. I'm going to

cry again in a minute. Very well done. Thank you. There is no

feeling quite like it is there? We've got our other RHS gold but

this is superb. The plants are in really good condition. They managed

to get here in one piece. They are looking fresh. They look as though

they've been waiting for their Chelsea performance. Just like me.

Congratulations. Well done. Thank you very much.

The sheer diversity of the exhibits at Chelsea always surprises me.

This is Nong Nooch. The design has come all the way from Thailand.

They are relative new comers to -- newcomers to Chelsea. They've

walked away with gold. The attention to detail is incredible.

08,000 orc individuals been hand placed, which must have taken a

bucket load of patience and concentration. It is quite simply

exquisite. If you want to find out more about how Nong Nooch achieved

this display Hart Hart later be looking closer on the Red Button

after the show. The Great Pavilion isn't the only

Chelsea marquee buzzing with medal news. Every year the RHS in

conjunction with the British Floristry Association hosts a

Chelsea Young Florist of the Year competition. Make no mistake, the

art may be delicate but the rivalry between entrants is fierce. Rachel

De Thame went to meet the eager youngsters des fruit be crownsed

I always look forward to seeing the work created by young florist, and

I met up with the events director at the British Floristry

Association. We want to design and construct a chandelier to be

hanging at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee dinner. It should be no

longer than two metres, a -- no wider than a metre. What is it that

sets a winning design apart? It is a combination of things. The judges

are looking for the highest skills and standard. If you have excellent

workmanship where you can't see how it is put together, you don't know

how other flowers are stuck on, and the quality is of key importance

with no blemishes on anything. what is really the devil in the

detail? The that's right. Waiting for the result is always a nervous

moment for the young florists. Good luck, everybody. I hope it goes

really well. It's has been a long six months from start to finish but

it gives us great pleasure to announce the RHS Young Chelsea

florist of 2012 is Joe Massie. my God! Congratulations! My money

was on about four other people. I ran out of time, on the way down

here we were stopped by the traffic police. This has been the most

ridiculous Chelsea ever. How many years in a row is this now? Four

consecutive years. For the art is some achievement. You must be

really happy. Apparently there was only 0.1 of

the mark between the winner and the runner-up so next year it might be

someone else's turn. Star our stage and screen Stephanie

Cole is spending the day with us and where better to chat than in

the fruit and veg inspired exhibit, a perfect backdrop for a grown Euro

enthusiast. Welcome to Chelsea, is this your first visit? No, I have

been before, always on a Monday and I love it. The problem is you can't

buy anything on a Monday. You can make some purchases later today.

What type of Gardner are you? frightened Gardner. I get a little

bit overwhelmed at how much their areas. My garden is quite of Excise,

but I do love it. I have a bit of a fear that rather than green fingers

I have blocked thumbs. There must be many people out there, so take

courage. Do you kill your plants with love? No not deliberately but

sometimes they don't flourish. about wildlife? I love wildlife.

How do you attract them? Were live in the country in a small village,

I don't mean I have a small village but I'm living one. I have a small

area I devote to the Wildlife and that brings everything in. They are

only in the fields so they come in and have something to eat. And do

you leave them to it? You yes, absolutely. You kindly gave us a

tour of your garden last week. Shall we take a sneaky peek of it

now? Chelsea will give me great ideas, I

think. You can see more of her garden later when she joins Alan

tonight at 8 o'clock on BBC Two. Right now, you are going to have a

look around the show garden. Looking for anything in particular?

Garden intelligent people so I can ask them constant questions. It has

been a pleasure talking to you. There is still plenty to come on

today's medal-winning Chelsea. We will be revealing the fresh and

artisan gardens that have captivated the judges. Carol is in

the Great Pavilion, meeting the nursery folk who struck gold for

the first time. How did you feel when you first saw the medal?

for words. It is easy to think Chelsea is all

about big-name designers with big budgets on big plots, competing to

be big news, but step out of the limelight and off the main avenue

and there are 17 smaller gardens also competing for medals and the

highly prestigious Best In Category Award. James Alexander Sinclair

went to see who became an overnight This year, the small gardens have

been divided into two distinct categories - first of all, the

fresh gardens, and the idea is to make a small garden that is

innovative, eye-catching and exciting. The designers have been

encouraged to be brave and do anything they want, and they have.

From bicycle powered fountains... To strange things with blue string.

And even very slightly on conventional woodland retreat.

There were nine entrants competing, but surprisingly only one gold was

awarded so it also got Best In Category. It went to the green with

garden, and reduced designer Tony Smith to floods of tears. I was

going to be so cool, I was going to say "about time" but it didn't come

out like that. Can you retire now? No, bigger and better next time.

am thrilled, well done. Fresh gardens, a new category at

Chelsea. How does it work? there was a bit of everything. That

is what you need. A last the higher metals remained elusive as only two

but the gardens received the silver-gilt, awarded to thomas with

his soft machine garden, and the Renault garden by Jason pass on.

The second lot of small gardens are the artisans and there are eight of

them trying to catch the judges' eyes. The designers have to use

Two won gold. This one is inspired by the wild and rugged landscape of

Yorkshire, the home of the Bronte sisters. The other shows a unique

and characteristic style of wonderfully wobbly Moss and pebbles

and this won a gold medal and Best Congratulations, it is fantastic

news. Really good! The nursery men and women in here

have won 56 gold medals in total, but one of the gold winners went on

to scoop the Diamond Jubilee Award, which was presented by the Queen

herself. The judges deemed it to be the best exhibit in the Great

Pavilion. Out of all the gold medal-winning nurseries, what was

it that caught their eyes? It is very simple in terms of layout.

Beautiful quality, fantastic composition and wonderfully

educational. This swathe of lilies are oriental lilies. If you have

acid soils, free-draining and a lot of sunshine and you want late

flowers with beautiful fragrant, these are the ones to go for. In

the middle, these are the Azi -- azeatics. This bird over here shows

what happens if you crossed them, the hybrids. They have the warm

colours, the large flowers, the fragrance, and an ability to grow

in acid and alkaline soils. It is the colour of the medal that

means so much to the exhibitors at Chelsea, but those who just missed

out on gold still received the highly impressive silver-gilt. You

are one of the many judges here, and this garden I have to say looks

amazing to me. Todd's Botanics, they just missed out, didn't they?

Yes, they got a silver-gilt, which as you said is very impressive.

Chelsea is known internationally for its high standards and there

are nine people involved in deciding the medal Ward, and on

this occasion they judged it to be just below the gold medal, chiefly

because of the wow factor. There are nine judges, so our opinion

like very on what is the wow factor. It always comes down to opinion,

and whilst not all the judges might be expert on drought planting for

example, they are all experts on show technique. This is about

drought tolerant plants, have they achieved that with their planting?

Yes, the quality of their plants is great. They lost a few points on

detail, which was very fussy. The only real question is that whilst

we have a fabulous gold medal exhibit here in this part, we feel

it might just slip into silver-gilt here. It is the overall impression,

the flow of the stand that they just dip out on.

Out of 16 show gardens entered, this year there were nine gold

medal-winners but only one can go on to win the Chelsea Best In Show

award. This is the show garden that the RHS judges have decided is the

pinnacle in design and horticulture. I can reveal the winner of the Best

In Show garden 2012 is for the second year running he keeps the

ground, it is Cleve West. How does it feel? I am flummoxed. I don't

know what to say, really overwhelmed. I am amazing

achievement. Will you be back again next year? He not for me, I will be

having a rest. It has been such an exciting morning we have had here

at Chelsea Flower Show. Alan and Carol will be back tonight

at 8 o'clock on BBC Two, looking in more detail at the gold-medal

winning exhibit. Stephanie Cole will be showing us around her