Episode 12 RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Good evening, and welcome to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. We are nearing

the end of our week here at the grounds of the Royal Hospital, but

despite yesterday's thunderstorms the crowds are still flocking here.

It is an event supported by M Investments and it has proved to be

a memorable week. Plans for 2015 are already afoot. We will be hearing

more about that later. We have been asking you to vote for your

favourite show garden in our People's Choice Award. Tens of

favourite show garden in our thousands of people have voted. Who

do you think might be winning? Alan Titchmarsh is here and is a very

popular man. I think he will do well. I think he will

popular man. I think he will do People love a garden with a

popular man. I think he will do so there is Matt Keatley's Help for

Heroes garden. And Ann Frost, the Alzheimer's Society, a very

approachable garden. Voting closed at midnight and you can find out who

won on BBC Two later. Also on the programme. We will be celebrating

the 175th anniversary of the horticultural charity Perennial.

Carol Bill will be meeting the verdant vicar from the Emerald Isle

with the divine talent for flower arranging. I decided that when I

watch people arrange flowers in church, perhaps I could do better.

And we chat to actresses Emilia Fox and her mum, Joanna David, about

their shared passion for gardening. I've had the best afternoon of my

life. There we are. I am joined by Sue Biggs, RHS director-general.

You've got exciting news. We are really excited to announce for the

first time ever, in 101 years, an a garden designer will be able to

design a garden feature at Chelsea 2015. And amateur gardener is going

to get the opportunity to have a garden on Main Avenue? As part of

the RHS stand, a feature that, on main avenue, they will be there

the RHS stand, a feature that, on everybody here and all of your

cameras to look at. That is scary for an amateur garden to come to

Chelsea and have people look at their design and have it on the

telly. It will be scary in the sense of what an amazing challenge. We

will be looking for very, very talented amateurs. It could be

anybody who has got a passion for gardening. They really need to be

into their garden design, but because they are at the greatest

flower show in the world. because they are at the greatest

you think the designers will make of it? This is the world's greatest

flower show. The best of the it? This is the world's greatest

come here. There will be some who say do you really want an amateur

come here. There will be some who gardener in there? Without a doubt.

You only have to look at these gardeners. We have the world's best

designers in this show. That will always be the case. We are

designers in this show. That will keen to spread the word about what

an amazing career horticulturist keen to spread the word about what

including garden design. We want to open this up. It is not going to be

judged, it is a feature, not a show garden. It is part of the RHS stand.

It is to demonstrate garden. It is part of the RHS stand.

can have a go but they need to be talented. When you look at the chefs

on Masterchef, they are not doing simple cooking, they are amazing.

Will they have guidance on how to create a show garden. How does the

format work? It will be a series of create a show garden. How does the

challenges that take place over a series of weeks. Different styles of

gardening design. There will be meant touring and RHS judges, we

know what talents they have. We will be working with the contestants

know what talents they have. We will they need to be prepared. This will

be tough, four weeks and weeks, this summer, next spring and the lead up

to Chelsea. It will be a commitment. It is a huge prize, Chelsea garden,

a top prize. It is exciting. You will of course be able to follow it

the BBC in a new series called designs on Chelsea. If you want to

find out more, go to the bee on a show page at the BBC website. You

can find the details on the Chelsea page. We have been showing you some

amazing show gardens and yesterday, Joe visited one with a very special

story. One show garden here in the Great

Pavilion celebrates 175th birthday of the horticultural charity

Perennial. Jim, you are an ambassador for the charity. Explain

what it does. The charity basically is to help anybody that is involved

in horticulture. It originally started 175 years ago, when Charles

Dickens had one of his literary lunches. At the end of it his

Dickens had one of his literary finished with, why do the people

looking at so much beauty end up in poverty? He was referring to the

head gardeners and under gardeners of the time. That was the birth of

it. It has grown and grown. Head gardeners, yes, groundsman,

arboriculture lists, journalists, television presenters, you name it.

Anybody connected with horticulture, we are there to help.

Helping each other. Helping each other. Many traits have their own

charity but we are very proud of ours. What a showcase for the

charity. You have retirement homes. We have two retirement homes. They

are people who need a bit more help than the ones who can look after

themselves. We had several retirement homes but most people

want to stay where they are and there is nothing wrong with that.

Last week we visited the charity's cottages in Barton, Cambridge should

conduct to meet a couple of the residents. -- in Cambridgeshire, to

meet a couple of the residents. I am 83 in a fortnight and I have

been gardening 51 years. When it came to retiring, I contacted the

Perennial caseworker in Yorkshire. She said I could come down to Barton

and have a look at the accommodation. My marriage had

broken down. After many years. I thought, well, I can't hesitate. I

can't refuse. It has got everything I ever wanted. We have a team of

gardeners who once a week to the gardens up. You can't go wrong.

My father was a keen gardener. His hobby was gardening. It passed on to

me. I set up my own gardening business in Devon. Got very busy. In

fact, too much work. I had to say no to a lot of it. I did see an advert

for Perennial 1995 and I thought it would be a good idea to go on the

waiting list, in case I was seriously ill. In 1997, I was

seriously ill. I had lymphoma, cancer of the white blood cells and

limbs. Even part-time gardening was not possible. You are so weak after

cancer. So my consultant and I had a chat and he said, well, the best

cancer. So my consultant and I had a thing you can do is retire. I was

only 58. The only way to retire was to sell my bungalow and Perennial, I

got into contact with the caseworker for Devon and she said, well, we

have got a vacancy in Barton and it was marvellous. So really thanks to

Perennial I was able to embark upon retirement and it has helped to keep

me going, really. Because I am still here, 14 years later.

Unsurprisingly, Richard has got a gorgeous -- gorgeous Darden there.

The charity also supports working gardeners who have hit hard times.

Martin Crowley jointly. Tell us your story. A few years ago I came down

with a condition, a condition that takes you from being perfectly fit

and healthy to being paralysed in between a few days and a month or

so. Did it completely stop you working? Yes, I could not work at

all. I working? Yes, I could not work at

some time. I could not walk. I could working? Yes, I could not work at

not do anything at all. That must have been seriously worrying. Yes,

aside from the fact have been seriously worrying. Yes,

life-threatening, once I had come through the other side there was a

massive job of recovering. I did through the other side there was a

know how we would manage. through the other side there was a

Perennial help you? They came in and sorted everything out with the

benefits. They understand the system. They made sure that we

claimed for what we were supposed to. They did an amazing job.

Basically we can contact them to. They did an amazing job.

whenever, and they are always on to. They did an amazing job.

end of the phone. It to. They did an amazing job.

service. Fantastic. It is lovely to see you here. Good look in the

future as well. Thanks. You Low-macro Perennial's work is funded

by two Gardens open to the public, one in Suffolk was gifted to the

charity last year and opens three times a week between April and

September. It was due to the generous city of the owner,

Bernard, and we went to meet him at a garden last week.

I always wanted to live in the country and some people who lived in

Wistow helped -- asks me to come to see them. They said, why don't you

buy this? We are just going to West see them. They said, why don't you

Africa. I said, OK. How much do you want for it? We settled it over a

cup of tea. It was for ?1550. I have never looked back. When I came here

in 1958, I planted 40 cricket bat willows, which I hope one day would

win centuries for somebody. But never a bat was used. I got

interested in gardening instead. I am notoriously colourblind. So any

chance of colour matching, that sort of thing, I accept full praise for

any benefit that is given to me. But I don't understand any of it. It is

just sheer good luck, or I have read the right books.

It has been my life. I have got so many memories in the garden. So it

is completely me. What you see is me, in the garden. From the word go

I have always funded the garden. I continued to do that through

Perennial. I hope the legacy that I will be leaving them will also

provide sufficient money to do that. Jo Thompson, the designer of the

perennial Garden, will be joining Carol on BBC Two a little later to

talk about her planting scheme. All week we have been inviting some

well-known faces and their mums to Chelsea. Today, we're joined by an

actress famous for her role Chelsea. Today, we're joined by an

Nikki Alexander on the BBC crime drama Silent Witness. It is Emilia

Fox. Lovely to see you here at Chelsea. You are passionate about

gardening, aren't you? I am. It has always been my dream to have a

romantic country cottage garden. Where I live in London, finally I

have managed to create it. It is spectacular, what you have created.

Give us an idea of what you have done. It is calamities, roses, roses

are my passion. I have a three-year-old who is called Rosa,

that shows my passion. It is alliums, wild poppies,

forget-me-nots, peonies. It is something you love so much, you have

talked about giving up your acting career for gardening. Really? I

would love that. It would be my dream come true. I have been talking

to Andy about it in the green room and he said, someone came up to me

and said you would like to do work experience with me. This was many

years ago. I was like, I would love to. He said, OK, we will

years ago. I was like, I would love I said, sign the contract. It will

not be a Silent Witness if you have I said, sign the contract. It will

Andy Sturgeon in the room. You have your mum, Joanna David, a well-known

actress. You are going to have a look around Chelsea. Is there

anything in particular you will look at? My passion at the gardening

comes from mum, she is green fingered. I know she loves

foxgloves. I can't wait to take her to those, and the sweet peas. It is

passed through the generations in your family. My mum and dad have two

totally different gardening skills. Mum does amazing pot plants and made

very small urban spaces in London look absolutely beautiful with

very small urban spaces in London flowers. Dad has this incredibly

wild and cultivated garden in Dorset. I have the best of both

worlds growing up. What I want to pass on to Roses love of gardening

and making use of small space. We will see you and your mum going

around Chelsea later in the programme. Thank you. The National

Association of Flower Arrangement Societies, NAFAS, first exhibited at

Chelsea in 1975 and has exhibited here every year since. With 26 gold

medals it's the turn of the Northern Irish division of the society which

is taking the reigns this year with Irish division of the society which

s display A Green Thought In A Green Shade. There is a tribute within the

display to a special flower arranger. I am here to reveal a

Chelsea treasure, something you may have not seen before.

It was deliberately kept secret until the end of the week. It's not

a flower, it's not a plant. He is a man.

The world renowned floral artist, it's a pleasure to meet you. It's a

pleasure to meet you. It's unusual for a Reverend to be arranging his

own flowers. How did that start? I just love plants. I decided when I

watch people arrange flowers in Church perhaps I could do better and

you are pomp pompous enough to think that, you should do it. It was

uncommon for a man when I was young. Something wrong somewhere! So what

do you consider the most important when you are arranging, is it

flowers or foliage? Follow Foliage, definitely. What's it got that

flowers haven't? The texture, colour, shape, the history. There's

so little in our gardens which is indigenous, anything you pick up has

come from somewhere else. It brings the world into your sitting room.

come from somewhere else. It brings Especially in the shape of a floral

arrangement. That's correct. You progressed, when did this start,

when did you put the first leaves in a vase? About 1950 or so, over 50

years, well over 50 years. I had the a vase? About 1950 or so, over 50

great opportunity of being able to arrange and raise money for

great opportunity of being able to charity which I couldn't do through

preaching. You wouldn't charity which I couldn't do through

listen to me preach but you will pay charity which I couldn't do through

to watch me... Well, some people do. I would pay to listen to you. That's

to watch me... Well, some people do. OK. That's how it started. Now I

have been I think to probably every country in the world, except Russia.

That's next? Well, yes. Do you think they will have me at my age? I am

sure they'll have you. I am sure they would welcome you with open

arms. To be working with living real things is... The real tragedy

arms. To be working with living real create something beautiful and it's

arms. To be working with living real going to die in

not the important thing, it's to create it, look at it, to enjoy it.

not the important thing, it's to And to get a lot out of it, as well.

While the moment lasts. That's exactly it. You have a hosta named

after you, what do you exactly it. You have a hosta named

she said it was very exactly it. You have a hosta named

wrinkled. I think I might like one, perhaps it will inspire me to

arrange some flowers of my own. That's right. I look forward to

arrange some flowers of my own. seeing you put it in

arrange some flowers of my own. Good plant list there. I might get

arrange some flowers of my own. that off you later. All week we

arrange some flowers of my own. been exploring Chelsea through the

eyes of well-known faces and today actress Emilia Fox and her mum

eyes of well-known faces and today Joanna David indulged in their

shared passion for flowers. We tagged along with them as they

toured the Great Pavilion. Mum, do you think we have arrived in

Heaven? We have. Listen, I am sure that's a Jacqueline Du Pre rose.

Darling, do you remember her? Of course I do. When you were little. I

have got a Jacqueline Du Pre rose on the right side of the front door

which has been in a pot for about 30 years. This year it's really

flowered prolifically. Jack Jackie is the -- Jackie is the reason I

played the cello when I was four and had to take up an instrument. I have

a photo of you and her. I had to take up an instrument. I have

Jackie every time I come out of the front door.

Mum, Tash. Oh, look! Smell. The scent! Heaven! It's out of this

world, darling. You know, to think that she was in our lives all those

years. They're two of the really important women in our lives. That

makes me cry. Amazing. important women in our lives. That

Close your eyes. Close your eyes. Ready? Open. Aren't they amazing?

They're such fairytale flowers. Didn't you used to put them on

They're such fairytale flowers. fingers when I was little? I did.

Little did I know I was feeding you poison. Exactly. It's a miracle I am

here. After that incredible sight I have

something for you. Good. Where are we going? Well, I think I know. I am

now going to give you a surprise. I know where it is. Where are they? I

know what it is. I know what it is! Yes! Oh, mum. Look at those. Look at

the colours. We have come to look at your sweetpeas. What's the secret?

If you have the time, take some side shoots off and tie the plant. That's

good advice. Keep picking the flowers. You have to keep picking,

yes. Once it starts to set seed it will stop flowering. Those

multi-coloured ones are sort of purple, what are they called? Lisa

Marie, it's named after my daughter. purple, what are they called? Lisa

Where is the beehive? Shall we ask someone? Yes, let's ask somebody.

Excuse me, has anyone seen a beehive anywhere? Not in here. I think she's

making it up. Do you think if we stand in the middle? Let's ask

somebody. No, let's just wander. You two look like you had a

wonderful time going around the Great Pavilion. We have had the best

afternoon you can ever imagine, haven't we, darling? We have. You

are such passionate gardeners both of you. This is your second visit,

what do you make of it There's so much to learn from, you know, from

vegetables, allotments, to the wonderful... Asking advice from the

growers and just seeing that all these incredible show gardens, but

also the cut flowers, as well. The whole thing is intoxicating. Cut

flowers is something that you really introduced to Emilia's life. You

love them. You have grown up with them. Yes, a real memory of

childhood is mum gardening. She has such green fingers and all these pot

plants and we would always have wild flowers on the kitchen table. I have

taken that on. Wherever I am in the world I get flowers on the table and

it makes it feel like home in whatever soulless hotel room you are

in. Talking of home, we saw you looking for beehives, had any luck?

No, but afterwards I am going to pursue because I am desperate to ask

them advice. We got a swarm that have come into the roof in Dorset. I

didn't know this until just now. They might be making honey in the

roof. I want to ask advice. Unless you want to keep them there. They

have the wonderful wild flowers and the sunflowers that they take all

their pollen and nectar from. It will make wonderful honey if you

manage to keep them. You have been keen to pass on your love of

gardening through generations to your granddaughter Rose. I have

about 100 pots in London, we haven't got a garden in London. You can grow

anything in a pot. Rose comes up to the balcony and you give her little

bits of the plants and then I the balcony and you give her little

pretend I am asleep and she wakes me up with different scented flowers. I

couldn't believe it, she went out up with different scented flowers. I

the other day, she is three, and up with different scented flowers. I

said that was a Jasmine. She had remembered. She pressed flowers,

wild flowers at Easter. Turns them into cards. It's wonderful for

children to learn. It was lovely to see the children today around the

pavilion doing flower things, school children. It's joy for all ages. And

wonderful, of course, to see both of you here today. Thank you so much.

Thank you for having us. I think some of my favourite flowers

of the show and always at Chelsea are iris. I love to see them here. I

am going to pick two because they go together really well but they

shouldn't somehow. A lovely rustic coloured flower at the top and this

one, the tall iris, stunning with the upright petals, the standards

they're called, and the falls. They look gorgeous together. They are

beautiful. I love them. One of the flowers that has stood out for me

this year, it's delicate and beautiful, it almost doesn't look

real. They displayed it in a frame. Bill and Simon, it's a family

tradition in that nursery. We wanted to celebrate some of this year's

most iconic flowers so we sent our cameras out to capture the best

blooms of Chelsea 2014. Wow, absolutely beautiful.

Wonderful. We have had almost perfect Wetherall week. It's been

fantastic. It's an incredible event. How have you enjoyed it? It's been

wonderful. One of the things that's been most memorable were the last

few days in the run-up to the show opening and seeing gardens packed

with people and the designers and all the hard work. The team effort

that goes into creating something like this, I will never forget that.

The personalities behind it. It's like one huge family here. Over the

years you get to know them all. Brilliant. These gardens start off

pretty good but they get better throughout the week. Don't you

think? You really get a sense of what it takes, the huge effort and

expertise it takes to just put on the world's best flower show.

Brilliant. That's all we have time for here on BBC1. Time to switch

over to BBC2. There is still plenty more to come.

We will be meeting the nurserymen and designers whose exhibits this

year have been inspired by childhood memories. It's the moment we have

all been waiting for as we reveal who has won the BBC RHS People's

Choice Award. So reach for the remotes and join Monty and Joe over

on BBC2. Bye. Hello, I'm Riz Lateef with your 90

second update. The "UKIP fox is in the Westminster hen house" - that's

leader Nigel Farage after his party made big gains in the local

elections in England. Labour won the most seats, while the Tories and Lib

Dems suffered losses - the details at ten.

Flames have ripped through a world famous building in Scotland.

Glasgow's School of Art was