Episode 13 RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Chelsea Flower Show, an event supported by M & G investments,

which has become known as the floral Olympiad. But it is the people just

as much as the plants that make Chelsea world-class. Tonight, we

salute them dashed the nurserymen, designers, landscapers and copious

unsung heroes, past and present, who have made Chelsea their lifelong

passion. Coming up: Decades of Delphi is. They have been at every

Chelsea since 1913. Blackmore and Langdon explain why the years have

flown. We have done it so many years, I think we are an accepted

part of this establishment nowadays. We allowed the Barrows. We discover

the message behind Timmy Smithpos-mac thought-provoking

garden. And a chequered past - as they finally gain entrance to

Chelsea, John Sergeant looks at the history behind the persecuted gnome.

You think of them as quintessentially British, but this

little fellow is about as British as bratwurst.

We would like to thank Roger Platt for lending as his gazebo to shelter

from the inclement weather. It is much nicer in here. Inclement is one

way of putting it. Freezing, I would say. And we would like to thank the

created talents of Nicki Chapman who has sculpted for us this wonderful

bouquet. It is Dianthus, sunshine foliage. I have heard of floral art

and flower arranging, but that is just sticking a bunch of flowers in

a vase. There is plenty of sculpting here. Andy Burgess starts off with a

chainsaw. He is not allowed to bring it into Chelsea, body is finishing

the work off with a chisel and making some fantastic stuff. He is

making a green man, and an owl. It is beautiful stuff. A lot of

chainsaw work is quite crude. That is wonderful. A lot of oak used in

there. You know 50 Shades of Grey, that books that a lot of dot-macro

that you have under your bedques-mac I have 50 Shades of

Grey. Harder, she cried, gripping the edge of the bench. All right I

said what is the gross national product of Nicaraguanques-mac it is

better than the other one. Since 1913, statuesque towers of Delphi

knee is and an explosion of subtropical begonias have delighted

the Chelsea crowds. Their place in the show becomes more significant

when you rely is at the same family has been responsible for every

single display. That family is Blackmore and Langdon, where a

passion for plants is passed from generation to generation. It

currently rests with John and Rosemary Langdon, and their three

sons. We joined them last month to hear more about their fascinating

history. My name is Rosemary Langdon, and

4-macro generations of our family have exhibited at the Chelsea Flower

Chelsea since the very first one. Not many families can say that. The

two gentlemen that started Blackmore and Langdon is where Jim Blackmore

and Charles Langdon. They started the business in 1901. They were both

keen begonia and Dell Finney Flower Show 100 years ago was

difficult. The roads were rough, vehicles were poor, and they had a

wonderful old van. We used to have it towed by horses. It went on the

railway, and at the other end, horses were again hired, and it was

the family blood. It is 18 months of preparation, and it is wonderful to

show the plants at their best advantage. We are very proud on the

nursery to have royal connections. Queen Mary used to stay at Badminton

during the Second World War, and came to visit Blackmore and Langdon

in Bath on a number of occasions. We have a wonderful photograph to

remind us of the days when she visited Thack Moor and Langdon, and

it shows her standing in the field of delphiniums speaking to Charles

Langdon. In our office, we have a beautiful set of cards which Queen

Mary sent to Charles Langdon over those war years, because quite a

deep friendship developed between sons who have all come into the

nursery. Simon is responsible for the office side of things. Stephen

grows the delphiniums. And Nicolas grows the big own ears. But they do

all interact with each other. -- the begonias. My husband John has been

involved since the late 1940s, and has been to Chelsea every year.

have done it so many years, we are accepted part of the establishment

nowadays. I think perhaps people don't notice as if we go, but they

would notice us if we didn't go. think this year has probably been

the most difficult year we remember. It has been so cold, and the light

levels so poor, that the delphiniums have been getting there,

but it has meant a lot of heated hard work to get them to the right

standard. This year, we haven't got any new delphiniums, but we do have

a new begonia. This is our new begonia for Chelsea this year.

called Chelsea gold, and we think we will have a good half a dozen that

we can take to show there. With about three and a half weeks to go,

we are about on course. It is just wonderful seeing these delphinium

plants coming along at last. It has been such a hard spring. We have had

to line the greenhouse with polythene to try to keep the heat

in, we have been so desperate. But at long last, they are growing. Only

a few weeks until Chelsea, so we hope they will be right on the day,

and fingers crossed for a good this year. You scooped the

President's award this year. It is a pretty good results, really. We are

very pleased. You are Blackmore and Langdon, but the Blackmore side of

it, they weren't in business any more, but you kept the name.

generations of the Blackmore is were in the company, but we kept the name

because it is kind of a brand. Everybody knows is as Blackmore and

Langdon, but they wouldn't know is if we took the name away. It has

certainly worked. I can see Chelsea gold made it here. It is a beautiful

yellow. We weren't sure whether we would be able to get it into flour

or not for the show, but it worked out really well. The thing about you

guys is you have begonias and Ted Mack one s. One is alpine and one is

subtropical. The Blackmore side was interested in the one, and the

Langdon is were interested in the other. So you had all bases

covered? And your top tips for each? With the delphiniums, they

need a good soil, and they need to be tied with Keynes, and with the

begonias, support the heads and feed them well. Not every exhibitor can

boast the longevity of Blackmore and Langdon, but one of the joys of

Chelsea is the golden opportunity it offers new recruits to learn from

the very best. That is evident in one of the fresh gardens this year,

and it's two designers recommend -- reflect both ends. Gavin McWilliam

is making his debut, while a designer is returning after an 18

year break. Gavin, how does it work when you are

working together as designers in a team, to people, you are new to

Chelsea, and Andrew has been arranging for 18 years and the judge

ever since. It is interesting, incredibly rewarding and very

exciting. Andrew and I work on a lot of schemes together, and this is

just a condensed smaller scheme on a tight time pressure. We sound ideas

I off each other. He has a wealth of knowledge, and I coming from some

different angles. It has been fantastic. It is a difficult thing

having two people design something. You seem to have pulled it off,

because this garden is great. garden in our mind is part of a

larger space. This is the end of the terrace, they clear this space,

realise the sun is setting in the garden, and this is a great place to

relax at the end of the day, glass of wine, feet in the stream,

surveying your day's work. And there are some key details. Yes, we tried

to take the ordinary and make it extraordinary, soap polishing the

concrete to make it really sophisticated, using copper polls as

decorations, we have really enjoyed the experience of making it more

magical. And after all these years as a judge, Andrew, now you have

been on the receiving end of it all, the brutal receiving end, how are

you feeling? Will you be back next year? I think we both realised how

enjoyable it is designing a show garden, and actually getting down

and dirty with the planting, and physically putting something

together on the spot. It has been great. So the answer is yes. I look

forward to seeing your next garden, and new are always welcome, one

eager little visitor has banned from the showground for the past 99

years. I am talking about the garden gnome. It has been given special

dispensation to visit this year. So as the stately gnomes of England

celebrate, we thought we would delve into the fascinating history of

these controversial garden creatures, and who better to conduct

that research than the broadcaster not just placed in a garden, they

have to live in a garden. We think of them as quintessentially

British, but this little fellow is about as British as bright first.

His name is a Lampey, and he is one of the very first gnomes to reach

our shores. The Victorians were taken by fantasy and for lease, and

Lampey and other small friends from Germany proved to be just the

Northamptonshire where Lampey and his brothers settled. Thanks to the

obscenity -- eccentric obsession of the owner. Sir Charles was an

interesting man, a non-smoking vegetarian teetotaller, and most

importantly, a passionate gardener, with a particular fondness for this

enchanting piece of architecture, his beloved rock array. In true

Victorian spirit, he created a 24 foot high folly, it own minute

landscape complete with dwarf conifers and tiny plants. He called

it an assemblage of small caves, crevices, excavations and

inequalities, carpeted and encrusted with vegetation suited to the

purpose. It was built right up against the house, so he could see

it from his bedroom window. The rockery remains nobler spent one

summer on holiday in Germany, he alighted on a little band of them.

They were lucky charms, taken into the local mines to their owners from

harm. For such Charles, it was love at first sight. He populated his

rockery with these magical little men. Men that apparently, he really

have their Shangri-La. Bridges, mortar falls, grottoes, everything

for little people. He expressed his belief in them in a book called

Notes On Gnomes. He wrote, had they been imaginary people, they would

not have been admitted to the rockery, but they have been seen in

mines and in the cottages of minors. The gnomes became celebrities when

the rockery open to the public in 1877. Before long, and were featured

in country life magazine. They entered the mainstream of the

19th-century Romantic movement, by the turn-of-the-century, colonies of

them were settling in follies and grottoes across the country. Since

those heady days of celebrity, gnomes have come down to earth.

Beautiful, refined ceramics have been transformed by plastic surgery.

All too often, cartoon characters have taken the place of those

cheerful, dignified gnomes of old. Even the fame of Sir Charles's

colony was short lived. His daughters shot the whole platoon

with air rifles after he died. The only known survivor fell into a

crevice, and lay undiscovered for many years. He was dusted down,

restored, and treated with the respect he deserves. All he wants

now is to go to the Chelsea Flower Show. If you think he is just a

nobody, be careful, this little-known gnome is worth more

programme to share his views on Chelsea and on gnomes. Meanwhile,

Lampy himself has gained access. He is accompanied by his handler.

Welcome. I notice he had his own invitation. He did. It arrived two

weeks ago. He was delighted to come. He has won awards himself, hasn't

he? In 1993, he won a Blue Peter badge. I brought along. I will not

touch him because it is too precious. Because this is the

centenary, this year has been declared as open to gnomes. There

are also gardens for schools, it is a start of a campaign. We need to

get children connected with the earth. All sorts of celebrities have

donated gnomes. The top prize at the moment is Elton John's gnome. It is

up for auction at �1340. You can bid for Carol, in the window, you can

bid from me, or Rachel, or Joe Swift. He is in his Tottenham

Hotspur colours. I say that to wound him, because it is actually arsenal.

It is all for a good cause. Thank you very much. I'm sure Lampy with

supported as well. You may remember earlier in the week we wondered what

the arrangement of wheelbarrows was below the studios. Now is the

opportunity to tell us what it is all about. I was asked for a

centenary visit, I thought about the unsung heroes of Chelsea, telling

the story through the wheelbarrow. The wheelbarrow is the ultimate

unsung hero. It dealt every exhibit, the roads, the railways,

yet it is never given any credit. It represents the Everyman. You have

wheelbarrows dating back to 100 years. This one is 1936, the wooden

one, we have documentary evidence that that was here in 1936. We think

probably earlier as well. Then we come more up-to-date, we get to the

one that we actually built this exhibit with. It is from the

builders merchant. We built this exhibit and then it goes on the

plinth. No one has ever given a wheelbarrow, before. They do not

usually leave it on the garden. is not just about the wheelbarrows,

it is the people using them. That is why they stand up on end, they

represent people, they represent the workers. You have the designers

getting all the credit, with the Golden wheelbarrow, then you have

the ranks of workers behind that, going down slightly in height and

perceived importance, but if you think about it, the millions of

people who worked over 100 years to make Chelsea happen, if they were

not there, none of the designers would have their medals. The plans

as well, you have used some stalwarts. I love using plans people

normally overlooked, making them the centre of attention. -- using plans.

These plans are in most of the gardens but are not getting any of

the plaudits. If you took them out, out of the gardens, they would look

terrible, but nobody actually comes and says, that is a brilliant,

gold-medal winning hedge. You have done a fitting tribute. We wondered

what Chelsea means to those people opportunity to bring your craft,

make the whole thing come together. The real joy is being part of that

transformation of a fragmented piece of landscape into something which

uses dry Stone is a backcloth, the rest of it is paving, water, trees,

it is a joy to see that come together. It is as though the world

of art has been given a free rein. It is the 100th anniversary, which

has encouraged people to do that, of childhood dreams. This treehouse

might look simple but is actually quite complicated. Thanks to the

team and their expertise it is coming on really well. We could not

do without it. It is might 10th year at Chelsea. You are already working

in your head, even down to the smallest detail. You're sitting

there on Christmas Day, something will pop into your head. It is not

just that week, it is the whole year. The public response is quite

overwhelming, really. They, and look at your work. -- they come and look

in your work. I kind of do it every day and for someone to love your

work is nice. It is Chelsea, it is the landscape Olympics. That is what

makes it special as well. You are at the top of the tree, all there

together, building a garden, in the same boat, trying to achieve the

those. Fruit and vegetables have been shown at Chelsea ever since it

opened. In those early days, two names dominated. Reverend Vicary

Gibbs and Edwin Becket. These were the days when amateurs exhibited

side-by-side with the professionals. They were often wealthy landowners

who should produce. Edwin Becket was head gardener to the honourable

Reverend Vicary Gibbs. The landowner and his gardener formed an

unbeatable partnership. They won medal after medal. Edwin Becket is

still revered as one of the most prolific exhibitors in the history

of Chelsea, with over 70 gold medals for his displays. We are grateful to

the Robinsons, who have loaned us these vegetables, to remind us of

the displays. It was trees that Reverend Vicary Gibbs was most

famous for. He had a huge collection of trees. He had 500 different types

of thorns. What has happened to the Arboretum is? It is still there, but

overgrown. We have done our best to clear our way through it, we have

tried to identify the trees but it is almost 50 five acres -- 55 acres.

My saddest thing was finding a marker, his favourite Burberrys, and

none of them anywhere near it. many gardeners did he imply?

regular gardeners, 140 in the season. That is an astonishing

number of staff. I should think everybody from miles around. There

were 195 acres of garden, all done by hand. A little bit of steam

power, maybe some horses. Mostly strong backs. Those vegetable

displays were something else. Worthy edible? I think they were probably

pretty inedible. -- would they have been edible? It has been great to

meet you, thank you very much. Since the honourable Reverend Vicary Gibbs

set the standard, many others have has been the worst Chelsea I have

had. April was a nightmare. We had frosts, it was like an intensive

care unit, the nursery. Shifting them into cold and hot greenhouses.

That is it. Ten times gold-medal winner, Medwyn Williams retired in

2005, returning five years later in 2010, scooping the award for the

best pavilion display. Yell not -- Chelsea is everything to me. This is

the most prestigious show in the whole world. It is a dream

fulfilled. At first glance, some vegetable stand in the Great

Pavilion defy the test of time. They would not look out of place sitting

next to the early displays. Yet look closer and you will see vegetable

growers also have something new up Pavilion, the growers have been

pulling out all the stops. A wonderful display, charting the

history of vegetable growing, the popularity of different vegetable

throughout the years. We tried to show how vegetables would have been

displayed at the early shows in the 1920s, progressing onto the more

modern style. I guess you need to stay ahead of the game. We follow

television programme to see what is in fashion. People are willing to

try all sorts of things. This new vegetable comes from South America.

It tastes like a cucumber, it is hollow inside, so you can stuff it.

Very productive. You want to taste? I would love to. Do you eat the

whole thing? You can, or bite into it. That is delicious. It is like a

cucumber, it is fresh . Chelsea would not be Chelsea without

strawberries. They have been growing glasshouses and walled gardens

really perfected the art of vegetable growing, and here we have

leaks and broad beans, regimented, looking fantastic. These are the

gardening techniques we have been using ever since on our allotments

and Gardens, but on the other side of this wall, it could be the

horticulture of the future. In here they're are cutting-edge growing

techniques that we are becoming more familiar with. This is solar like

mimicking the rays of the sun, and making lettuce grower, but I haven't

seen this one before. This is hydroponic, but in the tank below,

fish will be swimming, and thereby product will be used to feed the

plants above, so you really will be able to have sushi and vegetables at

the same time. Can you just imagine 100 years ago what they would have

thought of these growing techniques, and what will we be seeing at

tonight. Coming up: Marine memories - the Scottish flower arrangers

looking beneath the waves for their inspiration this year. The message

we wish to portray is the fact that we all rely on the world's oceans,

and we need to look after them. to the floral floor - our very own

Carol Klein takes a trip down Chelsea's memory lane. And Sergeant

at the show - broadcaster John Sergeant shares his views on

Chelsea. We couldn't look back at the history

without The Help of one towering horticultural figured - Roy

Lancaster. Plantsman, Lance Hunter, RHS judge. I have to ask. When did

this fascination with plants start. How old were you? I was about 15. I

was a bird-watcher, and I was converted to plants, but I still

keen on birds. I joined my local natural histories society in Bolton,

Lancashire. There was a Mr Jackson, and he taught me about wildflowers,

and he used to carry a little pocket book with him, and he would collect

plants, and every time we had a chance to sit down with a cup of

tea, he said, now, Roy, I will ask you the names of these flowers. And

that is how I managed to learn the English names. Plant identification

from an early age. Dear remember your first Chelsea visit? 1962,

students at the Cambridge Britannic and then, eyes wide open, and I just

could not believe what I saw. There were so many exhibits there, people

I had never heard of, plants I had never seen. And then I kind of came

to and started my exploration. are perhaps best known as this

country's most famous living plant collector. All over the world,

particularly Nepal, Kashmir. So what does Chelsea hold for you? I am

happiest when I am in the wild, seeing plants where they choose to

grow rather than where we as gardeners want them to grow. But

Chelsea is like a microcosm of the world's flora. There is nowhere else

under one roof, and I am talking about the marquees and pavilions,

where you can find plants from every country of the world except the

Arctic regions. You see them being drawn to perfection, and it is not

just the plants. It is the people who are there growing them. And that

combination is unbeatable. This is the greatest plant collection in

terms of rioting, and rarity in many cases, than any other garden in the

world. That is something. When it gets your seal of approval, it must

be good. Thank you for joining us. Thank you.

The National Association of flower arrangement societies has been a

regular exhibitors since the late 1960s. This year, their Scottish

branch is responsible for the thought-provoking display. The title

is taken from Shelley's poem owed to the west wind, but it also draws on

the pinnacle of anyone's flower and the team leader and designer.

Our exhibit is called far below the sea blooms. The message we wish to

portray is the fact that we all rely on the world's oceans, and we need

on the strength -- on the banks of a lot. It is important on a large

design that we know exactly what we are going to do when we get to

Chelsea, so we have to try things prepared that has helped us to

select the plant material will will use of it. This is in coral, and we

are replicating that with this plant here, which bears a resemblance to

it. And this part of the coral reef, we have replicated on the stands.

This is very similar to a CNN many, and we will replicate it with this

beautiful plant. -- see Anemone. Fibres are very popular these days

with floral art. We wanted to use natural fibres which come from plant

material. Seaweed, nettles, bamboo, flat is. We have coloured them using

natural vegetable dye. Red cabbage can give us purples and raids.

Rhododendron leaves give us bright green. Turmeric can give us a

wonderful yellow. We have used orange and red fibres on sponges. We

are blown away by the colours that we have achieved. They are extremely

strong. Was it turmeric? Curry powder! Your kitchen must have been

very interesting. Did your husband have to leave the house? He was

Edinburgh is one of our sponsors. I periodically come down to have a

look at some of the plants we have selected, and we look around and

discuss the plant list. The variegation pattern is incredible on

these plants. Every leaf is supposed to be unique. It would be great for

the show. How will you use these leaves?

Alongside some coral we have recreated using some fungus which is

orange. It is going to sit above still cover it with some

this has galvanised our members. There are very excited about it and

has been represented here with flower arranging. How does it feel?

We can't believe we are here. Our members came yesterday, and they

were all in tears, they were so overwhelmed. And you got a gold

medal? It doesn't get better than that! Are your members from all over

Scotland? Yes, and from all over Scotland, from Aberdeen, from the

south, from the central belt. to just put my snorkel on and diving

there. Where you have depicted coral with is wonderful. Your reference is

pretty spot on to the images you had. We were in partnership with the

Marine biology discovery Centre, and they were helpful to us. How easy

was it to match the colours? It was fairly easy because the colours

under the sea are so vibrant, and that matches the plant material we

are familiar with. I hope it isn't another 23 years until we see

Scotland represented in flower arranging. I hope not, but we have

21 areas in our organisation, and obviously we have to take our turn.

Well, you have set the standard so high. Lovely to meet you.

The Dutch firm I definitely a list. They grow alliums and Amarillo is.

This year they are celebrating 25 years at Chelsea, and it is eight

triple celebration because they have won gold medal and they stash the

Diamond Jubilee award for the best display in the Great Pavilion and it

is astonishing. I have never stood under a ceiling quite like this one.

We can't celebrate the centenary without a Chelsea Hardy perennial -

Carol Klein, winner of six gold medals over her years. She shares

her magical memories. I haven't always come to Chelsea as a

presenter. When I first came here in 1990, it was as an exhibitor, and I

came with my plant in that capacity for the next 15 years. Since then, I

have just been making an exhibition this. I reckon it was just about

hear that we had our first stand, and it was so exciting. We will all

biting our nails, digging up the garden. We got everything into the

back of the lorry by candlelight in the end, and then the lorry broke

down. Eventually we got here, we made the very best job we could and

got a silver medal. One of the best things about Chelsea is the

camaraderie between all the knows more about organising a stand

than anybody in Chelsea. Look at this shirt! I am glad you like it.

It reminds me of a garden you did a long time ago. Do you remember when

you had those wonderful sweet peas with the orange marigolds? That was

a proper garden outside. I grow that combination, and it always reminds

me of you. I only ever did one garden outside at Chelsea, and this

is the very space, the very sight. I have got my original map there. It

was just here. There is Main Avenue. We had wonderful yellows and blues

over here, and these great big obelisks. But when we were in the

process of building, we got a visit from my lovely friend Valerie, and

she presented me with my very special gold medal. It was inscribed

on a banana, and it said our gold medal for Glebe cottage plants. I

loved exhibiting. I love to building those stands with my friends, and we

all loved the plants so much, putting them together. It was

magical when you had finished, and you sure -- saw the joy on people's

faces when they looked at it. I loved it so much, I might just have

stand here? We had just started is coming to London, doing displays,

and we were approached to come to Chelsea. I was astonished, but

Torbay Council pulled out, and it was the poll tax. They just couldn't

afford to implement it. So you fill the space? Yes. Three small

nurseries were asked, so we did everything. We dug up the garden,

because we had quite a lot of stuff in pots, but it was nail-biting

stuff. And we came. But on the way, we loaded up the lorry we realised

it had no internal light at all, so we ended up packing by candlelight.

And as if that wasn't enough, the next morning, the lorry was supposed

to pull off from the car park, and my husband phoned me and said, the

clutch had gone. So we had to get the whole engine changed. They said

to me, just unload it. I said, not a chance! It's just shows how much

work and agony and thanks to goes into these things. And Edward?

was one of several people, all friends and mates, people who loved

plants and enjoyed getting in there. Typifying the camaraderie of

Chelsea. Well, Edward, despite celebrating his 25th -- 75th

birthday this year, has returned to Chelsea to help create another

stunning display this year. So what displays on and off the year of the

coronation. Working with various people with various types of

material, because they all have their own challenge. If I had to say

what is most exciting, it is with new material that has not been seen

before, even by me in some cases, until I arrive at the nursery. This

is much more exciting than doing the plants that have been around for

such a long time. There is only so much you can do with them. Without

Edward we would not be doing Chelsea. He is a delight to work

with, and a lot of plants, but it is his eye for the finer detail. He

gets in there, that finer detail. It is time he got some recognition,

because without Edward we would not be getting these awards. You start

with material, create your picture from that. There is no grand

design. The plants are the grand design. We have fluffy leaves next

to solid leaves. You get contrast. Colouring, you do not put two

colours together with this sort of material. In nature, that doesn't

happen. They gently blend in. Bring this material, which adds interest,

so that add you at -- as you walk around the stand you get a different

plants keep growing and I have a chance to play with them. As long as

the body is holding together, it will struggle down to London to do

fascinating display, you can go on the red button immediately after

this programme. For us, Chelsea is an annual pilgrimage, but for a

group of retired service men, these grounds are their back garden. Many

have visited the show. None more so than Don Cresseller. You are very

welcome. Is it much disruption when the Chelsea Flower Show comes?

Absolutely not, life carries on. much do you like coming out here?

Quite a lot, when I can, when I'm not doing other things. I am a keen

gardener. I've got an allotment. What is on it? Julia wildlife. I

have a pond, -- it is only wildlife. Over the pond I have a bridge, then

I have a stream, which is run by solar panels. It works wonderfully.

Of the gardens you have seen, what stuck in your mind? That Korean

garden last year. That was something awesome. Incredibly moving.Barbed

wire, empty shell cases, I went about three times to take it all in.

You had to look right under the bushes to find it. It was wonderful.

A lot of the gardens here bear close inspection. Lovely to meet you.

Thank you for letting us into your garden. Some exhibitors have taken

inspiration from Chelsea's long history, but designer Patrick

Collins has set his sights on the present, with a garden designed

about his daughter, and the hospital neo-natal unit which saved her life.

This garden is named after the charity that supports the neo-natal

unit in London, and is beautifully sophisticated and sublime. It is a

composition which combines the drifts and subtle planting of things

like violence, punctuated by these modest lands, -- modest plants, and

that is contrasted with these hemi- spherical planets. They give a sense

of permanence. They give a sense of elegance. Plants like this,

repeating this theme. The concept is repeated on ground level, with these

conditions. -- with these conditions. On the opposite side

there is a transition, demonstrating that it is possible to get a

completely different perspective even in such a confined space. The

colours become warmer, provided here by this plan, a delicate plink

bloom. This project has a very poignant reason for existing.

daughter, Isabel, was born at Saint Georges, and spent three months on

the unit. As a personal thank you, the underlying theme of the garden

is growth and development. It is similar forms in different sizes.

The pools are inspired by human cells. It is a reminder that all

life starts from small beginnings. How do the public respond to it? Do

they understand the subtlety of the story? People respond in different

ways, Chelsea is fantastic for charities to get their message

Sergeant gave his perspective on the origins of the garden gnome. He is

also at Chelsea. These gnomes, we are still funny about them. People

are snobbish about them. There is no point trying to disguise the fact,

it is part of the class war. It is common, that is what people will

say. You do not subscribe to this?I do not, and when I come across

people who say that I am determined to have gnomes in my garden. I do

not. We have a classical Roman head without a body. But gnomes, we have

got to be more liberal on that, and be absolutely sure, if people want

them, they should be encouraged. gives a bit of colour. It does.Does

Chelsea add colour to your life? Do you like it? It is wonderful, the

best in the world. People do not realise how good we are at

gardening, we tend to be embarrassed about it. But this is the best in

the world. Do you do it at home?Not very much. I would like to say I am

constantly tinkering in my garden but I am not. There is still a

feeling among many gardeners that garden gnomes are tasteless

distractions. With that in mind, John has been to see what the

Chelsea exhibitors are offering as a is that I don't need to know

anything about flowers. I've got to look at all the other things. I'm

It is made from driftwood, it took three months. How much does it cost?

�28,000. I was hoping for something cheaper. I have one behind for

25,000. Of course, everything in the garden has got to be all-weather.

This -- this lady is made of marble. and a gnome? The sculpture is based

on classic English literature. We are not looking down on gnomes.

me, this is a gnome. I'm not sure about him. He seems to be designed

not to attract people into the and sizes. I don't know what she's

strange things here at Chelsea, but I've left the best until last. I

think deep down, I'm an armchair gardener. We're nearly at the end of

this evening's coverage, but before we go, time to say a big thank you

to Chelsea itself. For the perfect days it has treated us to over the

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 63 seconds

years, days filled with scenes like have been given recently. I am very

lucky, I have got one, there are never more than 63 of these awarded,

one for every year of Queen Victoria's rain. We have two new

ones, Brian Humphrey, who was a planned propagator, he founded the

Society, he has been made -- he has been given it. Nigel Colborn got the

other. I remember watching him. Gardeners question Time. A great

photographer. A great writer. We have not had much use for this

sundial today but this is rather special. Made by the Royal

Horticultural Society to commemorate the centenary show. It is lovely.

When it is set up, it is pointing to all the different gardens, all kinds

of things. It has directions on it, so if you felt like walking, set off

in the right direction and you will no one not to get deflected. -- you

know not to get deflected. Tomorrow, the sun might come out! Do not set

me off. Is not the song.I have been checking my weather on my phone, the

sun is definitely coming out tomorrow. That is it for this

evening, we will be back tomorrow on BBC2. I cannot wait. There is

another chance to catch the highlights on Sunday on BBC1.