:00:41. > :00:47.Chelsea Flower Show, an event supported by M & G investments,
:00:47. > :00:50.which has become known as the floral Olympiad. But it is the people just
:00:50. > :00:57.as much as the plants that make Chelsea world-class. Tonight, we
:00:57. > :01:01.salute them dashed the nurserymen, designers, landscapers and copious
:01:02. > :01:11.unsung heroes, past and present, who have made Chelsea their lifelong
:01:11. > :01:13.passion. Coming up: Decades of Delphi is. They have been at every
:01:13. > :01:19.Chelsea since 1913. Blackmore and Langdon explain why the years have
:01:19. > :01:25.flown. We have done it so many years, I think we are an accepted
:01:25. > :01:28.part of this establishment nowadays. We allowed the Barrows. We discover
:01:28. > :01:37.the message behind Timmy Smithpos-mac thought-provoking
:01:37. > :01:40.garden. And a chequered past - as they finally gain entrance to
:01:40. > :01:43.Chelsea, John Sergeant looks at the history behind the persecuted gnome.
:01:43. > :01:49.You think of them as quintessentially British, but this
:01:49. > :01:54.little fellow is about as British as bratwurst.
:01:54. > :01:59.We would like to thank Roger Platt for lending as his gazebo to shelter
:01:59. > :02:04.from the inclement weather. It is much nicer in here. Inclement is one
:02:04. > :02:07.way of putting it. Freezing, I would say. And we would like to thank the
:02:07. > :02:15.created talents of Nicki Chapman who has sculpted for us this wonderful
:02:15. > :02:18.bouquet. It is Dianthus, sunshine foliage. I have heard of floral art
:02:18. > :02:26.and flower arranging, but that is just sticking a bunch of flowers in
:02:27. > :02:29.a vase. There is plenty of sculpting here. Andy Burgess starts off with a
:02:29. > :02:34.chainsaw. He is not allowed to bring it into Chelsea, body is finishing
:02:34. > :02:42.the work off with a chisel and making some fantastic stuff. He is
:02:42. > :02:46.making a green man, and an owl. It is beautiful stuff. A lot of
:02:46. > :02:54.chainsaw work is quite crude. That is wonderful. A lot of oak used in
:02:54. > :03:02.there. You know 50 Shades of Grey, that books that a lot of dot-macro
:03:02. > :03:09.that you have under your bedques-mac I have 50 Shades of
:03:09. > :03:13.Grey. Harder, she cried, gripping the edge of the bench. All right I
:03:13. > :03:18.said what is the gross national product of Nicaraguanques-mac it is
:03:18. > :03:21.better than the other one. Since 1913, statuesque towers of Delphi
:03:21. > :03:27.knee is and an explosion of subtropical begonias have delighted
:03:27. > :03:31.the Chelsea crowds. Their place in the show becomes more significant
:03:31. > :03:35.when you rely is at the same family has been responsible for every
:03:35. > :03:39.single display. That family is Blackmore and Langdon, where a
:03:39. > :03:42.passion for plants is passed from generation to generation. It
:03:42. > :03:45.currently rests with John and Rosemary Langdon, and their three
:03:45. > :03:54.sons. We joined them last month to hear more about their fascinating
:03:54. > :03:57.history. My name is Rosemary Langdon, and
:03:57. > :04:07.4-macro generations of our family have exhibited at the Chelsea Flower
:04:07. > :04:14.
:04:14. > :04:18.Chelsea since the very first one. Not many families can say that. The
:04:18. > :04:23.two gentlemen that started Blackmore and Langdon is where Jim Blackmore
:04:23. > :04:33.and Charles Langdon. They started the business in 1901. They were both
:04:33. > :04:39.
:04:39. > :04:44.keen begonia and Dell Finney Flower Show 100 years ago was
:04:44. > :04:50.difficult. The roads were rough, vehicles were poor, and they had a
:04:50. > :04:54.wonderful old van. We used to have it towed by horses. It went on the
:04:54. > :05:04.railway, and at the other end, horses were again hired, and it was
:05:04. > :05:10.
:05:11. > :05:17.the family blood. It is 18 months of preparation, and it is wonderful to
:05:17. > :05:21.show the plants at their best advantage. We are very proud on the
:05:21. > :05:27.nursery to have royal connections. Queen Mary used to stay at Badminton
:05:27. > :05:31.during the Second World War, and came to visit Blackmore and Langdon
:05:31. > :05:35.in Bath on a number of occasions. We have a wonderful photograph to
:05:35. > :05:39.remind us of the days when she visited Thack Moor and Langdon, and
:05:39. > :05:45.it shows her standing in the field of delphiniums speaking to Charles
:05:45. > :05:51.Langdon. In our office, we have a beautiful set of cards which Queen
:05:51. > :06:01.Mary sent to Charles Langdon over those war years, because quite a
:06:01. > :06:10.
:06:10. > :06:14.deep friendship developed between sons who have all come into the
:06:14. > :06:20.nursery. Simon is responsible for the office side of things. Stephen
:06:20. > :06:30.grows the delphiniums. And Nicolas grows the big own ears. But they do
:06:30. > :06:35.
:06:35. > :06:41.all interact with each other. -- the begonias. My husband John has been
:06:41. > :06:45.involved since the late 1940s, and has been to Chelsea every year.
:06:45. > :06:51.have done it so many years, we are accepted part of the establishment
:06:51. > :06:57.nowadays. I think perhaps people don't notice as if we go, but they
:06:57. > :07:01.would notice us if we didn't go. think this year has probably been
:07:01. > :07:06.the most difficult year we remember. It has been so cold, and the light
:07:06. > :07:09.levels so poor, that the delphiniums have been getting there,
:07:09. > :07:14.but it has meant a lot of heated hard work to get them to the right
:07:14. > :07:22.standard. This year, we haven't got any new delphiniums, but we do have
:07:22. > :07:25.a new begonia. This is our new begonia for Chelsea this year.
:07:25. > :07:30.called Chelsea gold, and we think we will have a good half a dozen that
:07:30. > :07:35.we can take to show there. With about three and a half weeks to go,
:07:35. > :07:40.we are about on course. It is just wonderful seeing these delphinium
:07:40. > :07:42.plants coming along at last. It has been such a hard spring. We have had
:07:42. > :07:47.to line the greenhouse with polythene to try to keep the heat
:07:47. > :07:52.in, we have been so desperate. But at long last, they are growing. Only
:07:52. > :08:02.a few weeks until Chelsea, so we hope they will be right on the day,
:08:02. > :08:02.
:08:02. > :08:06.and fingers crossed for a good this year. You scooped the
:08:06. > :08:13.President's award this year. It is a pretty good results, really. We are
:08:13. > :08:18.very pleased. You are Blackmore and Langdon, but the Blackmore side of
:08:18. > :08:21.it, they weren't in business any more, but you kept the name.
:08:21. > :08:24.generations of the Blackmore is were in the company, but we kept the name
:08:24. > :08:30.because it is kind of a brand. Everybody knows is as Blackmore and
:08:30. > :08:35.Langdon, but they wouldn't know is if we took the name away. It has
:08:35. > :08:41.certainly worked. I can see Chelsea gold made it here. It is a beautiful
:08:41. > :08:46.yellow. We weren't sure whether we would be able to get it into flour
:08:46. > :08:54.or not for the show, but it worked out really well. The thing about you
:08:54. > :09:04.guys is you have begonias and Ted Mack one s. One is alpine and one is
:09:04. > :09:13.
:09:13. > :09:18.subtropical. The Blackmore side was interested in the one, and the
:09:18. > :09:28.Langdon is were interested in the other. So you had all bases
:09:28. > :09:28.
:09:28. > :09:32.covered? And your top tips for each? With the delphiniums, they
:09:32. > :09:40.need a good soil, and they need to be tied with Keynes, and with the
:09:40. > :09:44.begonias, support the heads and feed them well. Not every exhibitor can
:09:44. > :09:47.boast the longevity of Blackmore and Langdon, but one of the joys of
:09:47. > :09:53.Chelsea is the golden opportunity it offers new recruits to learn from
:09:53. > :09:57.the very best. That is evident in one of the fresh gardens this year,
:09:57. > :10:03.and it's two designers recommend -- reflect both ends. Gavin McWilliam
:10:03. > :10:11.is making his debut, while a designer is returning after an 18
:10:11. > :10:15.year break. Gavin, how does it work when you are
:10:15. > :10:21.working together as designers in a team, to people, you are new to
:10:21. > :10:24.Chelsea, and Andrew has been arranging for 18 years and the judge
:10:24. > :10:30.ever since. It is interesting, incredibly rewarding and very
:10:30. > :10:34.exciting. Andrew and I work on a lot of schemes together, and this is
:10:34. > :10:39.just a condensed smaller scheme on a tight time pressure. We sound ideas
:10:39. > :10:43.I off each other. He has a wealth of knowledge, and I coming from some
:10:44. > :10:51.different angles. It has been fantastic. It is a difficult thing
:10:51. > :10:56.having two people design something. You seem to have pulled it off,
:10:56. > :11:03.because this garden is great. garden in our mind is part of a
:11:03. > :11:07.larger space. This is the end of the terrace, they clear this space,
:11:07. > :11:11.realise the sun is setting in the garden, and this is a great place to
:11:11. > :11:19.relax at the end of the day, glass of wine, feet in the stream,
:11:19. > :11:24.surveying your day's work. And there are some key details. Yes, we tried
:11:24. > :11:28.to take the ordinary and make it extraordinary, soap polishing the
:11:28. > :11:33.concrete to make it really sophisticated, using copper polls as
:11:33. > :11:40.decorations, we have really enjoyed the experience of making it more
:11:40. > :11:44.magical. And after all these years as a judge, Andrew, now you have
:11:44. > :11:50.been on the receiving end of it all, the brutal receiving end, how are
:11:50. > :11:53.you feeling? Will you be back next year? I think we both realised how
:11:53. > :11:58.enjoyable it is designing a show garden, and actually getting down
:11:58. > :12:04.and dirty with the planting, and physically putting something
:12:04. > :12:14.together on the spot. It has been great. So the answer is yes. I look
:12:14. > :12:17.
:12:17. > :12:20.forward to seeing your next garden, and new are always welcome, one
:12:20. > :12:27.eager little visitor has banned from the showground for the past 99
:12:27. > :12:31.years. I am talking about the garden gnome. It has been given special
:12:31. > :12:35.dispensation to visit this year. So as the stately gnomes of England
:12:35. > :12:39.celebrate, we thought we would delve into the fascinating history of
:12:39. > :12:49.these controversial garden creatures, and who better to conduct
:12:49. > :12:50.
:12:50. > :12:55.that research than the broadcaster not just placed in a garden, they
:12:55. > :13:01.have to live in a garden. We think of them as quintessentially
:13:01. > :13:05.British, but this little fellow is about as British as bright first.
:13:05. > :13:11.His name is a Lampey, and he is one of the very first gnomes to reach
:13:11. > :13:15.our shores. The Victorians were taken by fantasy and for lease, and
:13:16. > :13:25.Lampey and other small friends from Germany proved to be just the
:13:26. > :13:28.
:13:28. > :13:36.Northamptonshire where Lampey and his brothers settled. Thanks to the
:13:36. > :13:39.obscenity -- eccentric obsession of the owner. Sir Charles was an
:13:39. > :13:44.interesting man, a non-smoking vegetarian teetotaller, and most
:13:44. > :13:49.importantly, a passionate gardener, with a particular fondness for this
:13:49. > :13:56.enchanting piece of architecture, his beloved rock array. In true
:13:56. > :14:00.Victorian spirit, he created a 24 foot high folly, it own minute
:14:00. > :14:05.landscape complete with dwarf conifers and tiny plants. He called
:14:05. > :14:08.it an assemblage of small caves, crevices, excavations and
:14:08. > :14:14.inequalities, carpeted and encrusted with vegetation suited to the
:14:14. > :14:19.purpose. It was built right up against the house, so he could see
:14:19. > :14:25.it from his bedroom window. The rockery remains nobler spent one
:14:25. > :14:29.summer on holiday in Germany, he alighted on a little band of them.
:14:29. > :14:37.They were lucky charms, taken into the local mines to their owners from
:14:37. > :14:41.harm. For such Charles, it was love at first sight. He populated his
:14:41. > :14:51.rockery with these magical little men. Men that apparently, he really
:14:51. > :14:59.
:14:59. > :15:08.have their Shangri-La. Bridges, mortar falls, grottoes, everything
:15:08. > :15:15.for little people. He expressed his belief in them in a book called
:15:15. > :15:20.Notes On Gnomes. He wrote, had they been imaginary people, they would
:15:20. > :15:25.not have been admitted to the rockery, but they have been seen in
:15:25. > :15:30.mines and in the cottages of minors. The gnomes became celebrities when
:15:30. > :15:36.the rockery open to the public in 1877. Before long, and were featured
:15:36. > :15:41.in country life magazine. They entered the mainstream of the
:15:41. > :15:49.19th-century Romantic movement, by the turn-of-the-century, colonies of
:15:49. > :15:55.them were settling in follies and grottoes across the country. Since
:15:55. > :15:59.those heady days of celebrity, gnomes have come down to earth.
:15:59. > :16:05.Beautiful, refined ceramics have been transformed by plastic surgery.
:16:05. > :16:12.All too often, cartoon characters have taken the place of those
:16:12. > :16:18.cheerful, dignified gnomes of old. Even the fame of Sir Charles's
:16:18. > :16:24.colony was short lived. His daughters shot the whole platoon
:16:24. > :16:31.with air rifles after he died. The only known survivor fell into a
:16:31. > :16:35.crevice, and lay undiscovered for many years. He was dusted down,
:16:35. > :16:39.restored, and treated with the respect he deserves. All he wants
:16:39. > :16:44.now is to go to the Chelsea Flower Show. If you think he is just a
:16:44. > :16:54.nobody, be careful, this little-known gnome is worth more
:16:54. > :17:01.
:17:01. > :17:09.programme to share his views on Chelsea and on gnomes. Meanwhile,
:17:09. > :17:18.Lampy himself has gained access. He is accompanied by his handler.
:17:18. > :17:24.Welcome. I notice he had his own invitation. He did. It arrived two
:17:24. > :17:31.weeks ago. He was delighted to come. He has won awards himself, hasn't
:17:31. > :17:35.he? In 1993, he won a Blue Peter badge. I brought along. I will not
:17:35. > :17:40.touch him because it is too precious. Because this is the
:17:40. > :17:44.centenary, this year has been declared as open to gnomes. There
:17:44. > :17:51.are also gardens for schools, it is a start of a campaign. We need to
:17:51. > :17:55.get children connected with the earth. All sorts of celebrities have
:17:56. > :18:05.donated gnomes. The top prize at the moment is Elton John's gnome. It is
:18:05. > :18:13.up for auction at �1340. You can bid for Carol, in the window, you can
:18:13. > :18:18.bid from me, or Rachel, or Joe Swift. He is in his Tottenham
:18:18. > :18:28.Hotspur colours. I say that to wound him, because it is actually arsenal.
:18:28. > :18:29.
:18:29. > :18:32.It is all for a good cause. Thank you very much. I'm sure Lampy with
:18:32. > :18:40.supported as well. You may remember earlier in the week we wondered what
:18:40. > :18:46.the arrangement of wheelbarrows was below the studios. Now is the
:18:46. > :18:51.opportunity to tell us what it is all about. I was asked for a
:18:51. > :18:55.centenary visit, I thought about the unsung heroes of Chelsea, telling
:18:55. > :19:03.the story through the wheelbarrow. The wheelbarrow is the ultimate
:19:03. > :19:09.unsung hero. It dealt every exhibit, the roads, the railways,
:19:09. > :19:13.yet it is never given any credit. It represents the Everyman. You have
:19:13. > :19:22.wheelbarrows dating back to 100 years. This one is 1936, the wooden
:19:22. > :19:26.one, we have documentary evidence that that was here in 1936. We think
:19:26. > :19:30.probably earlier as well. Then we come more up-to-date, we get to the
:19:30. > :19:33.one that we actually built this exhibit with. It is from the
:19:33. > :19:39.builders merchant. We built this exhibit and then it goes on the
:19:39. > :19:43.plinth. No one has ever given a wheelbarrow, before. They do not
:19:43. > :19:49.usually leave it on the garden. is not just about the wheelbarrows,
:19:49. > :19:54.it is the people using them. That is why they stand up on end, they
:19:54. > :19:58.represent people, they represent the workers. You have the designers
:19:58. > :20:03.getting all the credit, with the Golden wheelbarrow, then you have
:20:03. > :20:06.the ranks of workers behind that, going down slightly in height and
:20:06. > :20:10.perceived importance, but if you think about it, the millions of
:20:10. > :20:15.people who worked over 100 years to make Chelsea happen, if they were
:20:15. > :20:22.not there, none of the designers would have their medals. The plans
:20:22. > :20:27.as well, you have used some stalwarts. I love using plans people
:20:27. > :20:32.normally overlooked, making them the centre of attention. -- using plans.
:20:32. > :20:36.These plans are in most of the gardens but are not getting any of
:20:36. > :20:42.the plaudits. If you took them out, out of the gardens, they would look
:20:42. > :20:51.terrible, but nobody actually comes and says, that is a brilliant,
:20:51. > :21:01.gold-medal winning hedge. You have done a fitting tribute. We wondered
:21:01. > :21:10.
:21:10. > :21:19.what Chelsea means to those people opportunity to bring your craft,
:21:19. > :21:23.make the whole thing come together. The real joy is being part of that
:21:23. > :21:29.transformation of a fragmented piece of landscape into something which
:21:29. > :21:35.uses dry Stone is a backcloth, the rest of it is paving, water, trees,
:21:35. > :21:40.it is a joy to see that come together. It is as though the world
:21:40. > :21:50.of art has been given a free rein. It is the 100th anniversary, which
:21:50. > :22:04.
:22:04. > :22:09.has encouraged people to do that, of childhood dreams. This treehouse
:22:09. > :22:12.might look simple but is actually quite complicated. Thanks to the
:22:12. > :22:21.team and their expertise it is coming on really well. We could not
:22:21. > :22:25.do without it. It is might 10th year at Chelsea. You are already working
:22:25. > :22:29.in your head, even down to the smallest detail. You're sitting
:22:29. > :22:34.there on Christmas Day, something will pop into your head. It is not
:22:34. > :22:42.just that week, it is the whole year. The public response is quite
:22:42. > :22:46.overwhelming, really. They, and look at your work. -- they come and look
:22:46. > :22:52.in your work. I kind of do it every day and for someone to love your
:22:52. > :22:57.work is nice. It is Chelsea, it is the landscape Olympics. That is what
:22:57. > :23:02.makes it special as well. You are at the top of the tree, all there
:23:02. > :23:12.together, building a garden, in the same boat, trying to achieve the
:23:12. > :23:19.
:23:19. > :23:28.those. Fruit and vegetables have been shown at Chelsea ever since it
:23:28. > :23:35.opened. In those early days, two names dominated. Reverend Vicary
:23:35. > :23:38.Gibbs and Edwin Becket. These were the days when amateurs exhibited
:23:38. > :23:45.side-by-side with the professionals. They were often wealthy landowners
:23:45. > :23:52.who should produce. Edwin Becket was head gardener to the honourable
:23:52. > :23:56.Reverend Vicary Gibbs. The landowner and his gardener formed an
:23:56. > :24:00.unbeatable partnership. They won medal after medal. Edwin Becket is
:24:00. > :24:08.still revered as one of the most prolific exhibitors in the history
:24:08. > :24:13.of Chelsea, with over 70 gold medals for his displays. We are grateful to
:24:13. > :24:16.the Robinsons, who have loaned us these vegetables, to remind us of
:24:16. > :24:24.the displays. It was trees that Reverend Vicary Gibbs was most
:24:24. > :24:29.famous for. He had a huge collection of trees. He had 500 different types
:24:29. > :24:35.of thorns. What has happened to the Arboretum is? It is still there, but
:24:35. > :24:44.overgrown. We have done our best to clear our way through it, we have
:24:44. > :24:52.tried to identify the trees but it is almost 50 five acres -- 55 acres.
:24:52. > :25:00.My saddest thing was finding a marker, his favourite Burberrys, and
:25:00. > :25:07.none of them anywhere near it. many gardeners did he imply?
:25:07. > :25:15.regular gardeners, 140 in the season. That is an astonishing
:25:15. > :25:20.number of staff. I should think everybody from miles around. There
:25:20. > :25:27.were 195 acres of garden, all done by hand. A little bit of steam
:25:27. > :25:32.power, maybe some horses. Mostly strong backs. Those vegetable
:25:32. > :25:39.displays were something else. Worthy edible? I think they were probably
:25:39. > :25:45.pretty inedible. -- would they have been edible? It has been great to
:25:45. > :25:55.meet you, thank you very much. Since the honourable Reverend Vicary Gibbs
:25:55. > :26:02.
:26:02. > :26:07.set the standard, many others have has been the worst Chelsea I have
:26:07. > :26:12.had. April was a nightmare. We had frosts, it was like an intensive
:26:12. > :26:22.care unit, the nursery. Shifting them into cold and hot greenhouses.
:26:22. > :26:27.That is it. Ten times gold-medal winner, Medwyn Williams retired in
:26:27. > :26:33.2005, returning five years later in 2010, scooping the award for the
:26:33. > :26:36.best pavilion display. Yell not -- Chelsea is everything to me. This is
:26:36. > :26:42.the most prestigious show in the whole world. It is a dream
:26:42. > :26:46.fulfilled. At first glance, some vegetable stand in the Great
:26:46. > :26:52.Pavilion defy the test of time. They would not look out of place sitting
:26:52. > :27:02.next to the early displays. Yet look closer and you will see vegetable
:27:02. > :27:09.
:27:09. > :27:13.growers also have something new up Pavilion, the growers have been
:27:13. > :27:16.pulling out all the stops. A wonderful display, charting the
:27:16. > :27:22.history of vegetable growing, the popularity of different vegetable
:27:22. > :27:27.throughout the years. We tried to show how vegetables would have been
:27:27. > :27:37.displayed at the early shows in the 1920s, progressing onto the more
:27:37. > :27:38.
:27:38. > :27:43.modern style. I guess you need to stay ahead of the game. We follow
:27:43. > :27:51.television programme to see what is in fashion. People are willing to
:27:51. > :27:55.try all sorts of things. This new vegetable comes from South America.
:27:55. > :28:04.It tastes like a cucumber, it is hollow inside, so you can stuff it.
:28:04. > :28:14.Very productive. You want to taste? I would love to. Do you eat the
:28:14. > :28:24.whole thing? You can, or bite into it. That is delicious. It is like a
:28:24. > :28:25.
:28:25. > :28:35.cucumber, it is fresh . Chelsea would not be Chelsea without
:28:35. > :28:43.
:28:43. > :28:46.strawberries. They have been growing glasshouses and walled gardens
:28:46. > :28:52.really perfected the art of vegetable growing, and here we have
:28:52. > :28:55.leaks and broad beans, regimented, looking fantastic. These are the
:28:55. > :29:01.gardening techniques we have been using ever since on our allotments
:29:01. > :29:11.and Gardens, but on the other side of this wall, it could be the
:29:11. > :29:13.
:29:13. > :29:21.horticulture of the future. In here they're are cutting-edge growing
:29:21. > :29:25.techniques that we are becoming more familiar with. This is solar like
:29:25. > :29:31.mimicking the rays of the sun, and making lettuce grower, but I haven't
:29:31. > :29:37.seen this one before. This is hydroponic, but in the tank below,
:29:37. > :29:41.fish will be swimming, and thereby product will be used to feed the
:29:41. > :29:45.plants above, so you really will be able to have sushi and vegetables at
:29:46. > :29:50.the same time. Can you just imagine 100 years ago what they would have
:29:50. > :30:00.thought of these growing techniques, and what will we be seeing at
:30:00. > :30:04.
:30:04. > :30:08.tonight. Coming up: Marine memories - the Scottish flower arrangers
:30:08. > :30:12.looking beneath the waves for their inspiration this year. The message
:30:12. > :30:20.we wish to portray is the fact that we all rely on the world's oceans,
:30:20. > :30:26.and we need to look after them. to the floral floor - our very own
:30:26. > :30:29.Carol Klein takes a trip down Chelsea's memory lane. And Sergeant
:30:29. > :30:34.at the show - broadcaster John Sergeant shares his views on
:30:34. > :30:37.Chelsea. We couldn't look back at the history
:30:37. > :30:47.without The Help of one towering horticultural figured - Roy
:30:47. > :30:47.
:30:47. > :30:53.Lancaster. Plantsman, Lance Hunter, RHS judge. I have to ask. When did
:30:53. > :30:57.this fascination with plants start. How old were you? I was about 15. I
:30:57. > :31:02.was a bird-watcher, and I was converted to plants, but I still
:31:02. > :31:12.keen on birds. I joined my local natural histories society in Bolton,
:31:12. > :31:15.Lancashire. There was a Mr Jackson, and he taught me about wildflowers,
:31:15. > :31:22.and he used to carry a little pocket book with him, and he would collect
:31:22. > :31:27.plants, and every time we had a chance to sit down with a cup of
:31:27. > :31:32.tea, he said, now, Roy, I will ask you the names of these flowers. And
:31:32. > :31:38.that is how I managed to learn the English names. Plant identification
:31:38. > :31:48.from an early age. Dear remember your first Chelsea visit? 1962,
:31:48. > :31:55.
:31:55. > :32:01.students at the Cambridge Britannic and then, eyes wide open, and I just
:32:01. > :32:07.could not believe what I saw. There were so many exhibits there, people
:32:07. > :32:15.I had never heard of, plants I had never seen. And then I kind of came
:32:15. > :32:20.to and started my exploration. are perhaps best known as this
:32:20. > :32:28.country's most famous living plant collector. All over the world,
:32:28. > :32:32.particularly Nepal, Kashmir. So what does Chelsea hold for you? I am
:32:32. > :32:37.happiest when I am in the wild, seeing plants where they choose to
:32:37. > :32:41.grow rather than where we as gardeners want them to grow. But
:32:41. > :32:46.Chelsea is like a microcosm of the world's flora. There is nowhere else
:32:46. > :32:50.under one roof, and I am talking about the marquees and pavilions,
:32:50. > :32:56.where you can find plants from every country of the world except the
:32:56. > :33:01.Arctic regions. You see them being drawn to perfection, and it is not
:33:01. > :33:04.just the plants. It is the people who are there growing them. And that
:33:04. > :33:11.combination is unbeatable. This is the greatest plant collection in
:33:11. > :33:17.terms of rioting, and rarity in many cases, than any other garden in the
:33:17. > :33:22.world. That is something. When it gets your seal of approval, it must
:33:22. > :33:25.be good. Thank you for joining us. Thank you.
:33:25. > :33:30.The National Association of flower arrangement societies has been a
:33:30. > :33:33.regular exhibitors since the late 1960s. This year, their Scottish
:33:34. > :33:40.branch is responsible for the thought-provoking display. The title
:33:40. > :33:50.is taken from Shelley's poem owed to the west wind, but it also draws on
:33:50. > :34:09.
:34:09. > :34:16.the pinnacle of anyone's flower and the team leader and designer.
:34:16. > :34:20.Our exhibit is called far below the sea blooms. The message we wish to
:34:21. > :34:30.portray is the fact that we all rely on the world's oceans, and we need
:34:31. > :34:40.
:34:40. > :34:43.on the strength -- on the banks of a lot. It is important on a large
:34:43. > :34:53.design that we know exactly what we are going to do when we get to
:34:53. > :34:58.
:34:58. > :35:05.Chelsea, so we have to try things prepared that has helped us to
:35:05. > :35:09.select the plant material will will use of it. This is in coral, and we
:35:09. > :35:18.are replicating that with this plant here, which bears a resemblance to
:35:18. > :35:23.it. And this part of the coral reef, we have replicated on the stands.
:35:23. > :35:33.This is very similar to a CNN many, and we will replicate it with this
:35:33. > :35:37.
:35:37. > :35:42.beautiful plant. -- see Anemone. Fibres are very popular these days
:35:42. > :35:52.with floral art. We wanted to use natural fibres which come from plant
:35:52. > :35:58.material. Seaweed, nettles, bamboo, flat is. We have coloured them using
:35:58. > :36:02.natural vegetable dye. Red cabbage can give us purples and raids.
:36:02. > :36:12.Rhododendron leaves give us bright green. Turmeric can give us a
:36:12. > :36:16.wonderful yellow. We have used orange and red fibres on sponges. We
:36:16. > :36:26.are blown away by the colours that we have achieved. They are extremely
:36:26. > :36:27.
:36:27. > :36:31.strong. Was it turmeric? Curry powder! Your kitchen must have been
:36:31. > :36:41.very interesting. Did your husband have to leave the house? He was
:36:41. > :36:45.
:36:45. > :36:50.Edinburgh is one of our sponsors. I periodically come down to have a
:36:50. > :36:57.look at some of the plants we have selected, and we look around and
:36:57. > :37:04.discuss the plant list. The variegation pattern is incredible on
:37:04. > :37:10.these plants. Every leaf is supposed to be unique. It would be great for
:37:10. > :37:12.the show. How will you use these leaves?
:37:12. > :37:22.Alongside some coral we have recreated using some fungus which is
:37:22. > :37:30.
:37:30. > :37:40.orange. It is going to sit above still cover it with some
:37:40. > :37:41.
:37:41. > :37:51.this has galvanised our members. There are very excited about it and
:37:51. > :37:58.
:37:58. > :38:03.has been represented here with flower arranging. How does it feel?
:38:03. > :38:07.We can't believe we are here. Our members came yesterday, and they
:38:07. > :38:12.were all in tears, they were so overwhelmed. And you got a gold
:38:12. > :38:19.medal? It doesn't get better than that! Are your members from all over
:38:19. > :38:24.Scotland? Yes, and from all over Scotland, from Aberdeen, from the
:38:24. > :38:29.south, from the central belt. to just put my snorkel on and diving
:38:29. > :38:36.there. Where you have depicted coral with is wonderful. Your reference is
:38:36. > :38:41.pretty spot on to the images you had. We were in partnership with the
:38:41. > :38:46.Marine biology discovery Centre, and they were helpful to us. How easy
:38:46. > :38:50.was it to match the colours? It was fairly easy because the colours
:38:50. > :38:55.under the sea are so vibrant, and that matches the plant material we
:38:55. > :39:01.are familiar with. I hope it isn't another 23 years until we see
:39:01. > :39:05.Scotland represented in flower arranging. I hope not, but we have
:39:05. > :39:10.21 areas in our organisation, and obviously we have to take our turn.
:39:10. > :39:19.Well, you have set the standard so high. Lovely to meet you.
:39:19. > :39:25.The Dutch firm I definitely a list. They grow alliums and Amarillo is.
:39:25. > :39:29.This year they are celebrating 25 years at Chelsea, and it is eight
:39:29. > :39:33.triple celebration because they have won gold medal and they stash the
:39:33. > :39:39.Diamond Jubilee award for the best display in the Great Pavilion and it
:39:39. > :39:47.is astonishing. I have never stood under a ceiling quite like this one.
:39:47. > :39:52.We can't celebrate the centenary without a Chelsea Hardy perennial -
:39:52. > :39:56.Carol Klein, winner of six gold medals over her years. She shares
:39:56. > :40:02.her magical memories. I haven't always come to Chelsea as a
:40:02. > :40:08.presenter. When I first came here in 1990, it was as an exhibitor, and I
:40:08. > :40:18.came with my plant in that capacity for the next 15 years. Since then, I
:40:18. > :40:24.
:40:24. > :40:30.have just been making an exhibition this. I reckon it was just about
:40:30. > :40:34.hear that we had our first stand, and it was so exciting. We will all
:40:34. > :40:38.biting our nails, digging up the garden. We got everything into the
:40:38. > :40:43.back of the lorry by candlelight in the end, and then the lorry broke
:40:43. > :40:49.down. Eventually we got here, we made the very best job we could and
:40:49. > :40:59.got a silver medal. One of the best things about Chelsea is the
:40:59. > :41:06.
:41:06. > :41:14.camaraderie between all the knows more about organising a stand
:41:14. > :41:17.than anybody in Chelsea. Look at this shirt! I am glad you like it.
:41:17. > :41:22.It reminds me of a garden you did a long time ago. Do you remember when
:41:22. > :41:28.you had those wonderful sweet peas with the orange marigolds? That was
:41:28. > :41:37.a proper garden outside. I grow that combination, and it always reminds
:41:37. > :41:43.me of you. I only ever did one garden outside at Chelsea, and this
:41:43. > :41:48.is the very space, the very sight. I have got my original map there. It
:41:48. > :41:53.was just here. There is Main Avenue. We had wonderful yellows and blues
:41:53. > :41:58.over here, and these great big obelisks. But when we were in the
:41:59. > :42:02.process of building, we got a visit from my lovely friend Valerie, and
:42:02. > :42:10.she presented me with my very special gold medal. It was inscribed
:42:10. > :42:17.on a banana, and it said our gold medal for Glebe cottage plants. I
:42:17. > :42:21.loved exhibiting. I love to building those stands with my friends, and we
:42:21. > :42:26.all loved the plants so much, putting them together. It was
:42:26. > :42:30.magical when you had finished, and you sure -- saw the joy on people's
:42:30. > :42:40.faces when they looked at it. I loved it so much, I might just have
:42:40. > :42:44.
:42:44. > :42:49.stand here? We had just started is coming to London, doing displays,
:42:49. > :42:54.and we were approached to come to Chelsea. I was astonished, but
:42:54. > :43:01.Torbay Council pulled out, and it was the poll tax. They just couldn't
:43:01. > :43:06.afford to implement it. So you fill the space? Yes. Three small
:43:06. > :43:09.nurseries were asked, so we did everything. We dug up the garden,
:43:09. > :43:18.because we had quite a lot of stuff in pots, but it was nail-biting
:43:18. > :43:23.stuff. And we came. But on the way, we loaded up the lorry we realised
:43:23. > :43:26.it had no internal light at all, so we ended up packing by candlelight.
:43:26. > :43:32.And as if that wasn't enough, the next morning, the lorry was supposed
:43:32. > :43:38.to pull off from the car park, and my husband phoned me and said, the
:43:38. > :43:45.clutch had gone. So we had to get the whole engine changed. They said
:43:45. > :43:53.to me, just unload it. I said, not a chance! It's just shows how much
:43:53. > :44:01.work and agony and thanks to goes into these things. And Edward?
:44:01. > :44:07.was one of several people, all friends and mates, people who loved
:44:07. > :44:11.plants and enjoyed getting in there. Typifying the camaraderie of
:44:11. > :44:15.Chelsea. Well, Edward, despite celebrating his 25th -- 75th
:44:15. > :44:25.birthday this year, has returned to Chelsea to help create another
:44:25. > :44:38.
:44:38. > :44:40.stunning display this year. So what displays on and off the year of the
:44:41. > :44:50.coronation. Working with various people with various types of
:44:50. > :44:53.material, because they all have their own challenge. If I had to say
:44:53. > :44:57.what is most exciting, it is with new material that has not been seen
:44:57. > :45:03.before, even by me in some cases, until I arrive at the nursery. This
:45:03. > :45:12.is much more exciting than doing the plants that have been around for
:45:12. > :45:16.such a long time. There is only so much you can do with them. Without
:45:16. > :45:25.Edward we would not be doing Chelsea. He is a delight to work
:45:25. > :45:31.with, and a lot of plants, but it is his eye for the finer detail. He
:45:31. > :45:37.gets in there, that finer detail. It is time he got some recognition,
:45:37. > :45:45.because without Edward we would not be getting these awards. You start
:45:45. > :45:54.with material, create your picture from that. There is no grand
:45:54. > :46:00.design. The plants are the grand design. We have fluffy leaves next
:46:00. > :46:04.to solid leaves. You get contrast. Colouring, you do not put two
:46:04. > :46:12.colours together with this sort of material. In nature, that doesn't
:46:12. > :46:19.happen. They gently blend in. Bring this material, which adds interest,
:46:19. > :46:29.so that add you at -- as you walk around the stand you get a different
:46:29. > :46:32.
:46:32. > :46:36.plants keep growing and I have a chance to play with them. As long as
:46:36. > :46:46.the body is holding together, it will struggle down to London to do
:46:46. > :46:49.
:46:49. > :46:54.fascinating display, you can go on the red button immediately after
:46:54. > :46:58.this programme. For us, Chelsea is an annual pilgrimage, but for a
:46:58. > :47:03.group of retired service men, these grounds are their back garden. Many
:47:03. > :47:13.have visited the show. None more so than Don Cresseller. You are very
:47:13. > :47:15.
:47:15. > :47:20.welcome. Is it much disruption when the Chelsea Flower Show comes?
:47:20. > :47:25.Absolutely not, life carries on. much do you like coming out here?
:47:25. > :47:32.Quite a lot, when I can, when I'm not doing other things. I am a keen
:47:32. > :47:38.gardener. I've got an allotment. What is on it? Julia wildlife. I
:47:38. > :47:48.have a pond, -- it is only wildlife. Over the pond I have a bridge, then
:47:48. > :47:49.
:47:49. > :47:56.I have a stream, which is run by solar panels. It works wonderfully.
:47:56. > :48:05.Of the gardens you have seen, what stuck in your mind? That Korean
:48:05. > :48:14.garden last year. That was something awesome. Incredibly moving.Barbed
:48:14. > :48:20.wire, empty shell cases, I went about three times to take it all in.
:48:20. > :48:25.You had to look right under the bushes to find it. It was wonderful.
:48:25. > :48:29.A lot of the gardens here bear close inspection. Lovely to meet you.
:48:30. > :48:34.Thank you for letting us into your garden. Some exhibitors have taken
:48:34. > :48:42.inspiration from Chelsea's long history, but designer Patrick
:48:42. > :48:51.Collins has set his sights on the present, with a garden designed
:48:51. > :48:55.about his daughter, and the hospital neo-natal unit which saved her life.
:48:56. > :49:01.This garden is named after the charity that supports the neo-natal
:49:01. > :49:07.unit in London, and is beautifully sophisticated and sublime. It is a
:49:07. > :49:15.composition which combines the drifts and subtle planting of things
:49:15. > :49:23.like violence, punctuated by these modest lands, -- modest plants, and
:49:23. > :49:27.that is contrasted with these hemi- spherical planets. They give a sense
:49:27. > :49:37.of permanence. They give a sense of elegance. Plants like this,
:49:37. > :49:43.
:49:43. > :49:49.repeating this theme. The concept is repeated on ground level, with these
:49:49. > :49:53.conditions. -- with these conditions. On the opposite side
:49:53. > :49:58.there is a transition, demonstrating that it is possible to get a
:49:58. > :50:04.completely different perspective even in such a confined space. The
:50:04. > :50:14.colours become warmer, provided here by this plan, a delicate plink
:50:14. > :50:22.
:50:22. > :50:25.bloom. This project has a very poignant reason for existing.
:50:25. > :50:31.daughter, Isabel, was born at Saint Georges, and spent three months on
:50:31. > :50:38.the unit. As a personal thank you, the underlying theme of the garden
:50:38. > :50:43.is growth and development. It is similar forms in different sizes.
:50:44. > :50:49.The pools are inspired by human cells. It is a reminder that all
:50:49. > :50:53.life starts from small beginnings. How do the public respond to it? Do
:50:53. > :51:00.they understand the subtlety of the story? People respond in different
:51:00. > :51:10.ways, Chelsea is fantastic for charities to get their message
:51:10. > :51:17.
:51:17. > :51:24.Sergeant gave his perspective on the origins of the garden gnome. He is
:51:24. > :51:29.also at Chelsea. These gnomes, we are still funny about them. People
:51:29. > :51:34.are snobbish about them. There is no point trying to disguise the fact,
:51:34. > :51:41.it is part of the class war. It is common, that is what people will
:51:41. > :51:46.say. You do not subscribe to this?I do not, and when I come across
:51:46. > :51:52.people who say that I am determined to have gnomes in my garden. I do
:51:52. > :51:56.not. We have a classical Roman head without a body. But gnomes, we have
:51:56. > :52:04.got to be more liberal on that, and be absolutely sure, if people want
:52:04. > :52:09.them, they should be encouraged. gives a bit of colour. It does.Does
:52:09. > :52:14.Chelsea add colour to your life? Do you like it? It is wonderful, the
:52:14. > :52:21.best in the world. People do not realise how good we are at
:52:21. > :52:26.gardening, we tend to be embarrassed about it. But this is the best in
:52:26. > :52:36.the world. Do you do it at home?Not very much. I would like to say I am
:52:36. > :52:39.
:52:39. > :52:45.constantly tinkering in my garden but I am not. There is still a
:52:45. > :52:49.feeling among many gardeners that garden gnomes are tasteless
:52:50. > :52:59.distractions. With that in mind, John has been to see what the
:53:00. > :53:07.
:53:07. > :53:12.Chelsea exhibitors are offering as a is that I don't need to know
:53:12. > :53:22.anything about flowers. I've got to look at all the other things. I'm
:53:22. > :53:32.
:53:32. > :53:38.It is made from driftwood, it took three months. How much does it cost?
:53:38. > :53:46.�28,000. I was hoping for something cheaper. I have one behind for
:53:46. > :53:56.25,000. Of course, everything in the garden has got to be all-weather.
:53:56. > :54:09.
:54:09. > :54:14.This -- this lady is made of marble. and a gnome? The sculpture is based
:54:14. > :54:24.on classic English literature. We are not looking down on gnomes.
:54:24. > :54:34.me, this is a gnome. I'm not sure about him. He seems to be designed
:54:34. > :54:37.
:54:37. > :54:47.not to attract people into the and sizes. I don't know what she's
:54:47. > :54:57.
:54:57. > :55:04.strange things here at Chelsea, but I've left the best until last. I
:55:04. > :55:08.think deep down, I'm an armchair gardener. We're nearly at the end of
:55:09. > :55:17.this evening's coverage, but before we go, time to say a big thank you
:55:17. > :55:27.to Chelsea itself. For the perfect days it has treated us to over the
:55:27. > :55:27.
:55:27. > :56:30.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 63 seconds
:56:30. > :56:36.years, days filled with scenes like have been given recently. I am very
:56:36. > :56:40.lucky, I have got one, there are never more than 63 of these awarded,
:56:40. > :56:45.one for every year of Queen Victoria's rain. We have two new
:56:45. > :56:52.ones, Brian Humphrey, who was a planned propagator, he founded the
:56:52. > :56:58.Society, he has been made -- he has been given it. Nigel Colborn got the
:56:59. > :57:03.other. I remember watching him. Gardeners question Time. A great
:57:03. > :57:09.photographer. A great writer. We have not had much use for this
:57:09. > :57:15.sundial today but this is rather special. Made by the Royal
:57:15. > :57:22.Horticultural Society to commemorate the centenary show. It is lovely.
:57:22. > :57:27.When it is set up, it is pointing to all the different gardens, all kinds
:57:27. > :57:32.of things. It has directions on it, so if you felt like walking, set off
:57:32. > :57:40.in the right direction and you will no one not to get deflected. -- you
:57:40. > :57:48.know not to get deflected. Tomorrow, the sun might come out! Do not set
:57:48. > :57:52.me off. Is not the song.I have been checking my weather on my phone, the
:57:52. > :57:57.sun is definitely coming out tomorrow. That is it for this
:57:57. > :58:01.evening, we will be back tomorrow on BBC2. I cannot wait. There is
:58:01. > :58:09.another chance to catch the highlights on Sunday on BBC1.