Episode 7 RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Chelsea Flower Show. After the frenzy of medals day you would be

forgiven for thinking that things may have calmed down here. Well, we

are not short on action today. Floral fever is mounting as we turn

our attention to the world of floristry.

After yesterday's medals were handed out the dust has settled and it

gives a chance to bring you the best that this investment supported by

M Investments has to offer. Coming up: Rachel de Thame will being could

up a cornucopia of plant recipes as she raids the Great Pavilion for

inspiration. We'll be joined by Darcey Bussell,

former principal dancer with the Royal Ballet. This one's called a

ballerina. I wonder why. And Toby Buckland has been inundated with

your gardening dilemmas. Join him later as he solves yet more of your

horticultural conundrums. Andy, after yesterday, the madness, it is

so exciting, medals day. What is it like on Wednesday for designers and

exhibitors here at Chelsea? It is an enormous relief. I think you can

feel that the atmosphere has relaxed a bit. Certainly all the exhibitors

feel a bit more chilled out. You notice them going around and taking

the time to walk around the Great Pavilion to check out all the other

gardens. They probably haven't had a chance to do it, have they? No, when

you are putting this together your head is down and you are oblivious

to what's going on on the next stand. What did you do when you were

here? You have no chance, you have the public to talk to, so much going

on still and you don't want to leave it. I'm looking forward to going

into the Great Pavilion. Today I'm going to surround myself with

flowers and beautifulness. The more you look, the more you see. Even in

this garden there's so much going on. There is. Every year hundreds of

youngsters put themselves forward to take part in the RHS young florist

of the year competition. The finalists are here this week. We'll

be admiring their work and finding out who scooped the 2014 title.

Dennis van Wonderen will be demonstrating the challenging task

that contestants were given to create for the competition. More of

that a little bit later. The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is

rooted firmly within the heart of our capital. As such it is able to

reflect the diverse nature of the surrounding city. Two of the gardens

here set out to showcase very difficult aspects of London life.

Chris has been to find out more. The City of London mansion a

staggering 11,000 acres of trees and woodlands. One of their designers,

Helen Elks-Smith has presented work here. It is complete with foxgloves,

geraniums and cow parsley. This is a garden all about what happens above

the woodland and not in it. You can see the cocoon-like structures which

enshroud these young oak trees. This is a story about a problem in the

horticultural world. It's about the processionry moth, a creature which

its normal residency is southern Europe, you but environmental change

has, we think, allowed it to move further north into the UK and around

the City of London. The challenge is that not only do the caterpillars

graze on the young foliage of oak trees but the caterpillar has hears

which when detached can cause dermatitis and bronchial problems in

us. What Helen has tried to demonstrate is the enwrapment that's

necessary of these oak trees. Silk-like structures representing

the cocoons created by the moth in the oak trees and delicately printed

on the outside the grey silhouettes of the moth itself. It's a beautiful

scheme with a poignant message. Another London themed exhibit

celebrates 75 years of the Kensington roof gardens. In 1939

Ralph Hancock, the design ser, had a show garden here at Chelsea. These

gates and those pillars were used way back then in that original

garden. The Spanish garden as based on the Alhambra in Grenada in Spain.

The idea was that it was formal canals, lawns and fountains.

Symmetry was King. The planting is predominantly med train, with

pines,ologyives, pelargoniums. It is exactly as it would have been this

those original gardens. The crowd seems to love this garden but the

judges weren't so impressed and it only got a bronze medal. For me

there are some glaring errors here. For example it feels very open.

There is no atmosphere. It could have been more intimate, perhaps, if

it was more enclosed on the side. Centrepiece is a problem too. It

feels like what this garden is trying to do is sell this fountain.

The judges wouldn't have liked that. The finish isn't great either. And

that's a big deal in the judging process. Rose looks like it was

planted last week. It needs to look like it was planted ten years ago.

It just doesn't meet the high standards necessary. I might sound

harsh but that's the judging process. They want designers to

strive for perfection. Having said that, there are still plenty of

things in this garden to enjoy. Roof gardens show how much you can

do with limited space at your disposal. A sure fire way to

brighten an area otherwise ungulfed in urban landscape. Rachel de Thame

is back with her planting recipes to pep up your plot.

A little bit of spice is always nice. I'm on the look out for plants

that give me that extra warmth in terms of colour. Plus good contrast

with texture and shape, so that this recipe packs a punch.

These are one of my absolute favourite perennials at this time of

year. They come in a range of hot colours, ranging from a vermilion

through all the oranges to the paler apricots. I love the way these

disk-like flowers hover on the slender stems. They perfect a sunny

spot but will tolerate a bit of shade. Could keep them at their peak

of perfection it is a why idea to divide them every three or four

years and really keep those flowers coming.

I've been looking for something to give me good structure and texture.

And this is absolutely perfect for the job. It is an evergreen

perennial grass-like perennial. It is not strictly speaking a grass. At

has small creamy white flowers in there but the real beauty of it is

its foliage. The streaky olive green with touches of orange coming

through. Through the season that gets paler, more golden. I think the

fact it has this really compact maybe, it doesn't do anything, it is

a well-behaved plant, makes it an excellent mixer.

These are absolutely invaluable for bringing a bit of height to a

planting scheme, with these towering stems of flowers around that spike.

They are fairly short-lived perennials and they prefer a sunny

spot. But the colours they come in can be subtle toens. These wonderful

cinnamons which are going to be perfect for my hot and spicy theme.

I've scoured the show for a real hot spot and I've found it here in a

garden that celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Kensington roof

gardens. We have the golden orange. Here we've got the vir bass come for

that bit of height. We've got hot, spicy. It is a real feast for the

eyes. Tomorrow we'll have another planting

recipe from Rachel for you, strictly for visual consumption of course.

This year we've asked a number of celebrities to share their

experience of the show here with their mums. Today I would like to

welcome Darcey Bussell. Good to meet you. Thank you. I thought it is the

perfect place for us to meet was by the Darcey Bussell rose. I know! I'm

amazed, there's a tree here. Wonderful. How did it come about?

Totally out of the blue. I got asked by David. He said there's a new

breed and he wanted to name it after you. He asked, do you like this

colour? ? I said I would like anything. I was overwhelmed to have

a rose named after me. It must be a real honour. Maybe I suppose because

I got so many pew case as a dancer after performances given to me, it

is quite apt there was a flower I could relate to. Are roses one of

your favourite flowers? Definitely. I love the older style where it

opens out like a fan. I'm sure there's a technical term for it. I

think this rose might have been used in one of the other gardens here

this year. Yes, I did hear this year. Stoke-on-Trent has used it as

part of their planting. I'm excited to look at that. How keen a gardener

are you? I'm not an expert, but my mother is an expert, so I'm pleased

she's with me. I don't have green thumbs, sadly, but I respect and

enjoy it. I've always wanted to understand it. I love designing

gardens myself, but only because I feel they are a part of the house.

If you have a space, I want it to be as important as the inside. How

difficult is it with your career being principal ballerina for the

Royal Ballet since a young age, touring a lot, to spend time in a

garden? We were often in the theatre all day, but we always in any

theatre we were performing it there was an outside area, and it would be

lovely if there had been some planting going on, because it would

be much more appealing to lie down and get some vitamin D next to your

planting. Tranquil and relaxing. Exactly. I always love water in a

garden as well. What catches your eye and your mum's eye? Slightly

more architectural gardens, slightly more formed. I do like gardens easy

to care for. Low maintenance gardens? We've always been so busy.

Water, I love stonework around greenery, box hedges. I love that

structure. You are going to be in your element as you wonder around. A

I can't wait. We'll catch up with you later. Do you Joan. Thank you.

Well, first impressions counts and in Chelsea they can excite every

sense with the explosion of colours and scents that pervade the air. As

you walk around you are bombarded with different floral fragrances.

One of the show gardens is design designed to play to all our senses.

The Cloudy Bay sensory garden is almost a garden of two halves.

You've got this huge terrace buts balanced by an enormous swathe of

planting. There's so much in here. balanced by an enormous swathe of

planting. There's so At the front balanced by an enormous swathe of

planting. There's so At the it is like a proposian carpet with these

deep maroons, wonderful purples and blues, the dark stems and the

alliums. And these roses. They are coming into flower. You can feel the

scents coming through. That's a big part of this garden as well, with

all the perfumes. Dotted among these are gooseberries, strawberries,

raspberries and currents. It is giving much more food later in the

year. It changes into this woodland quality, which is balanced by these

hazels that pop out of it. There are tall flocks gloves and the grasses

and cow parsley seem to fizz. This terrace is really quite spectacular.

It's gone an English limestone. It is quite pale but hate a warmth to

it with all these brown textures that make it so varied. There is

charred oak that runs around the back. These pan vest been burnt it.

Draws out the natural resins and seals the wood and protects it.

Visually, what it does, it works as an incredible foil to all of this

planting down the side here. One of the vocal points of the garden is

this sculpture, up at the top here. It's this white marble. It really

does stand out and draw the eye when you look in. The thing that I

particularly like is this huge sculpture at the back. It's a big

canvas, like one that is hanging in the Tate. It's one of my favourite

paintings. This maroon stripe that runs down through the centre here is

really quite spectacular. It's my favourite part of this garden. The

stars in this garden are undoubtedly the plants. Perfect plants are just

the domain of the Show Gardens, as Christiine Walkden has been

discovering all this week. She has been on a quest to find her top ten

plants at this year's show over in the Great Pavilion. She has tracked

down some more front runners. I'm looking for something with grace

and elegance for my garden. There US must be something on this stand.

Clematis, the Queen of the climbers, a versatile tile plant, it can be

grown up, trees, tell liss, in containers. Beautiful plants for all

summer-long flowering. Jonathan, a stand full of glorious clematis,

which one has really stood out for you? Which one do you want to

introduce this year? My favourite this year is Marie Curie. It's a

pure white. With that yellow centre to it it stands out and brightens up

any garden. When does she flower? From June to August or September,

depending on the season. How high will she grow? Six to eight feet.

That sort of height. When you would prune this little beauty? Around

about February, just before it starts in new growth really. How is

she best grown? With some sun, like a lot of cla may 'tis, feet in the

shade, head in the sun is a good rule of For those thumb. Of us

without a trellis, will she grow in a container? Definitely, very happy.

In a container, it needs good drainage, water it regularly. Feed,

tomato food is the easest way to do that. It will perform well in a pot,

yes. I think this is an elegant plant. She's going to go into my

garden. I've just spotted this stand. I'm

going to see if there is anything new there. Heather, I would like to

have something really exciting for my collection, what do you suggest?

A new and lovely young lady. This was released at the Chelsea Flower

Show. It has a rose bud flower, it looks like a rose. To have the two

combined on a new plant is fantastic. It does everything. It

looks rampant? It is, she is a thug. How will you control it? Pinching

out. Expect her to need a lot of room. That is a good thing. She will

have plenty of flowers for you and look absolutely stunning in your

basket. How long will she flower for and when will she fade? With the ivy

leaves, feed with the tomato feed, all the way through the growing

season, end of the season, around September/October time, you want to

think about bringing her in, if she is outside, if she is in the

conservatory give her a hard haircut. I have to have one. Thank

you for your time. You're very welcome.

Here I am on Main Avenue among thousands of visitors here today. I

want to know whether all these people know there are young

designers here and whether they think it made a difference to the

show? Sophie Walker the designer behind the Cave Pavilion Garden. It

has been designed by someone who is 28, by Chelsea standards, that is

very young. Is it a good thing? Yes. I think it's wonderful. Female as

well. Yeah. Lovely. It has been designed by someone oblivious to the

fashion of all of the gardens. The showgardens are the same colours.

This is completely different. I think it's a really brilliant thing

to inject Chelsea with a few of these kind of young designers. No. I

think there should be more of it. We are all getting old. It's nice to

see younger people getting interested in gardening. The Vital

Earth Night Sky Garden was designed by the Rich brothers. The is it good

for the show to the youngsters around? It's good to have fresh of

fresh blood alongside the more established designers. It is good to

see the youngsters can do it as well as the old people. Giving the old

people a run for their money Exactly. The Waterscape Garden won

Gold. Would it surprise you to know the designer is 27 years old? He or

she has done well. It's fresh and exciting. It doesn't look like

somebody who is new to the game. With all due respect to you guys,

you have been around for a while. If they can come up with new ideas,

this is a lovely garden for the first time. Good luck to him. Some

interesting views there about our in coming talent. Inside the Great

Pavilion there are seasoned exhibitors that are getting the

crowds talking. I'm here with Suzanne Gaywood at the Grenada

exhibit. Lovely to see you. How many years have you been at Chelsea? 25.

25. How many with Grenada? This is our 16th Grenada exhibit in the

Great Pavilion. You must be extremely proud of it. Standing

here, I do feel like I'm in paradise. I have never been to

Grenada. Is this what I would expect? It is. It's time you visited

Paradise. It is. Tell me about the flowers. When you look at the

exhibit, it's impactful, isn't it? It makes you smile. The colours raid

ate through, what do we have? Pelgonias in many varieties. Sexy

pink. Pink gingers. Orchids, in the rooftop. Quite a variety. I can see

the sand. Grenada is famous for its beaches, isn't it? Yes. We have one

of the world's most famous beaches. That is not all. I noticed around

the back there is a change. Tell me about that? The things I love about

Grenada. I love the beaches, who doesn't! I'm passionate about the

rainforest. It's a volcanic island, mountainous, we have rich

vegetation, lush vegetation. We grow spices. I wanted to show the other

side of Grenada, which a lot of the visitors love. This is a very

special year, isn't it, for you and your team. It'ses in memory of

someone close to your hearts. A much-loved team member who passed

away suddenly in 2012. Kim enjoyed Chelsea. They loved it and played an

important part. Her father is a grower. She was working with him to

bring over their best blooms for the show. You certainly did her and her

memory justice. Thank you very much. Thank you. A little further away on

the Barbados Horticultural Society exhibit, Jennifer Weetch and her

team have worked hard to put together this wonderful display.

Jennifer, I have to say, it's an explosion of colour. So vibrant? It

certainly is. We worked very hard from Thursday right through to

Sunday to finish it. You must be very proud. There is an unusual

theme to your garden, I hear, tell me more? The theme is the sailor's

Valentines. What is a sailor Valentine, I never heard, it I have

been to Barbados, it escapes me? A lot of people from Barbados don't

know what they are. They were made back in 18 00s by local ladies who

collected the shells off our beaches and arranged them in a mosaic. The

sailors who came into Barbados for fun and frolic took them home for

their loved ones. They bought them. They took them back to the UK to

their loved ones. I really wonder what has happened to all of There

could them. Be some in the UK on people's walls. The shapes here

dominate the exhibit, don't they? Which did Yes. You do? There is a

team that worked on this garden? Four flower arrangers did them. I

did this bright one here. Give me the names of those wonderful

flowers. Purple lady, pink gingers, pineapples, in the middle, purpose

orchids. I have ex-so the a. Beautiful. The way you recipe mroo

indicated the shells with flowers, it does Barbados justice. It's part

of your heritage and it's stunning to look at that. Thank you very

much. Former Royal Ballet star and Strictly judge, Darcey Bussell,

brought her mum Andrea to the show this year. . A world away from the

dance floor, what did they make of the extravaganza that is Chelsea?

Look at that? I don't think we'd ever make our lavender look as

beautiful as this, mummy. This is the one that goes with box hedges.

It would look aa mazing. -- amazing. More colourful. That is an

Australian brand. It feels too delicate to be Australian. You would

have thought a more Hardy plant. It's really beautiful though. This

is unusual, as well. It's pretty. This one is called "a ballerina" I

wonder why, maybe the long bits. Flop bits. It's like long limbs.

Mum, we are near the topiary stand. Beautiful. Living sculptures. I love

it. My most favourite. Look, there is a bird! That is lovely. I was

given, when I had Zoe and Phoebe, two pots with - We have got them.

You still have them! ? A squirrel and a duck. Like a duck. Like that

one. One was a rabbit. A rabbit or a squirrel? One was a duck. I'd love

millions of them everywhere. Millions of them everywhere. These

were in my bouquets. The flowers I got on stage. They are unusual. The

dark purple ones I think this are They are lovely. The best.

Beautiful. They have are gorgeous. These are the lillies. Which is your

favourite lily? Gizo. Could we find Gizo? Big white ones. That is not

it. Just like that. So beautiful. This is definitely one of my

favourite gardens. What I love is how the trees frame it. Yes. How

they are flat on top. It's like the frame of a painting. Perfect frame

of a painting, isn't it? These, I love how they sit just on and off of

the actual grass lawn. It looks like you could move Or sit them. On them.

A wonderful mixture between a structural garden, architectural,

but soft planting. An architectural garden that has been soften, isn't

it? Yeah. The variety we have had today. I don't know. You have been

more times than I have, it seems to get better and better? I think it's

the world war one theme. They have done it so Lovely idea beautifully.

. Everything. It's getting better and better. Darcey and her mum

enjoying the visual feast that is Chelsea. Tomorrow Ellie Harrison

will be here with her mum. The RHS Young Florist of the Year is a

competition open to 16-25-year-olds across the country. Finalists work

their way up through regional heats before being lined up with the best

floristry talent. This year's been a tough competition and we will see

who won a little later. Joining me now is Dennis Van Wonderen. You

looked hard at it already? morning. Just for us? I make Heaven

and Earth move just for you. This is my mini version of what we ask the

competitors to do. What is the competition? We are looking for the

RHS young florist of the year. The brief was to design and create a

fantasy floral dress to be worn at a crystal-themed ball. Oh, very

romantic. Lovely. You can see behind me is one standing with wonderful

wings on. That's really where the word fantasy communities into it. --

Er That's where the world fantasy comes into it. And you are doing a

miniature version for me, aren't you? Competitors use various

techniques. One of the techniques we now use is gluing. By using cold

florist group you seal the stem so the flower doesn't perish. You leave

it on the side until the glue goes tacky. What else have we use? Lovely

gypsphilia. It forms the waistline and the neck line. We've got mini

spray roses. And I know what these are. Go on. Love in the mist. That's

right. It's Latin name is Nigella. In the shop we call it snog in the

fog. Not quite the same is it! The rules, there are lots of different

things the judges are looking for. Give me the top line. They are

looking for idea, composition, colour and for technique. Idea is

basically what the competitors have thought of to do before they get to

the competition. I've had literally a few hours to put my mock-up

version together, but the competitors have only had eight

weeks. When you think eight weeks to go from receiving a brief to getting

something like that together here for the show, that's quite a

It is. And they are spectacular. Plenty of hard work would have gone

into this competition. We will be seeing the contestants' designs and

finding out who scooped this coveted water later.

Throughout the week our own Toby Buckland has been helping many of

you to get to grips with some the practical problems in your garden.

We asked you to send in your planting questions. Toby's mailbox

has seen plenty of activity. Today he is looking at how to deal with

coastal and more exposed areas. Your response from our call for

questions has been brilliant. Thank you. John has been in touch with an

interesting problem, he's converting a gravel drive and wants plants to

will thrive but not block his sea views. I say because the soil is

spin, think herbs. These provide colour, as do sage, which can be

clipped into boulders as on a beach. Because the soil is thin, herbs get

more oils within the foliage, so they not only look better but taste

better on the barbecue. I've had a lot of e-mails from gardeners

wanting help with plants in a wind-swept garden. The key is to get

nurse plants. One of the best a phormiums. Lynn McDonald gardens out

there on the Isle of Man. She has a terrace and a phormium in a pot

would be perfect for you, Lynn. It's got this delicate pink and

grey-coloured foliage but it is as tough as leather. It's a wonderful

thing. When the wind comes along, it gets difficult used as it passes --

it gets div fused as the wind passes through the foliage. And it is

evergreen, so looks good all year round.

Take a look at Jackie Shaw's problem. That garden slopes so much

I think Sherpa Tenzing would think twice! The way to conquer this

situation is to create trails wide enough for a barrow. These wire

boxes are held together in the corners and placed on the soil.

Although these are a stone face, which is reasonably expensive, round

the back is cheap to buy clinker, which is tough. As for plants,

grasses are the key to success. Grasses are the plant I would

recommend for Elizabeth Baxter, who says she's got a ski slope. Grasses

are good, because they've got wiry roots which grip the soil. This is a

fine one. It is a terrible name but it is lovely, because it is

evergreen. You could have a meadow of different grass. Tul ones by the

back. They hold the soil and look like a cascade of colour.

Thank you for the many thousands of your e-mails. I've heard our inbox

is positively brimming with interesting challenges. Toby will be

back here tomorrow with some more solutions for your gardening

dilemmas. Earlier Dennis van Wonderen from the British Florist

Association demonstrated exactly what the contestants in the RHS

Chelsea young florist competition had to achieve. A beautiful creation

by Dennis but no mean feat. This work takes dexterity and creativity.

So how did our contenders get on? We are moments away from meeting this

year's winner. First here's Rachel with a look at the dresses 16

contestants created. This is definitely one of my

favourite parts of the show. I'm always astound by them, this

movement with the lowses -- with the roses. These individual cups put on

hand. These were created by florists between 16 and 25, that's

incredible. Ladies, I am so in awe of the work

you've produced here. It is just absolutely incredible. What did you

think of the brief when you first saw it? A fantastic bereavement

really nice, with the fantasy. You could interat the time it how you

wanted it. Brilliant. What did it feel like to be something fashion

oriented? It was hard, as we were florists. And how do you think

you've done? I think it is anyone's guess at the moment. They were all

so different. It could go anyway. Tell me, what do you think it would

mean to you if you were to win? It would be a really big step in my

career. Can I ask where you've come from? Northern Ireland. Northern

Ireland?! Did you have excess baggage? Yes, a lot!

It's a bit nail-bight now, because it's crunch time. What are you

feeling? Excited. I really want to know the results. We want to know.

The very best of luck. I can't wait to find out.

Dennis, there's such stunning creations but it must have been so

hard for the judges to pick the final win we are. The judges had a

real challenge on their hands this year. They were looking for the

actual dress with the best interpretation of the schedule. As I

said to you earlier, designer -- design a fantasy floral dress for a

crystal ball. This is sparkling all over. Touches of gold leaf,

wonderful use of materials and tonnes of fresh flower and plant

material. Head and shoulders above the rest? A very worthy winner. I'm

sure all of the contestants have been a huge inspiration to anyone

out there wanting a career or even perhaps a hobby in floristry.

Yesterday den us announced the winner of the RHS Chelsea young

florist of the year. The winner of the RHS Chelsea young florist of the

year 2014 is... Daisy Ellen Burgoyn from Flowers and Frocks.

CHEERING Well done.

APPLAUSE And here with us now to present the

RHS Chelsea young florist of the year award is Alex, head of the

show's development at the RHS. Thank you. Daisy Ellen I'm delighted to

present you with the RHS Chelsea young florist of the year. Thank

you. Congratulations. CHEERING

Thank you. You must be absolutely thrilled. How many times have you

entered this competition? Three times this year. I had my first year

was silver and my second was bronze and I finally got a gold. And every

year it is a different theme. Yes, completely different. I really

wanted to do a dress. It was really difficult to do. But ever think in

your wildest dreams you would win this coveted award? I hoped for it,

but they were so amazing this year. So the highlight of your year? Yes.

Will we being so you back next year? I will give it a go. We certainly

know where your career's heading. Massive congratulations. Thank you.

An amazing creation there. Do you think you could do something like

that, Andy? It does look fantastic but I don't think I could wear ate.

Not my colour. A little bit tight for you? What are you saying?!

Congratulations to Daisy. We asked you to send if your photographs of

your amazing garden as. This is from Michael Bert in Leicestershire. If

you live in a town or city and you have a roof garden, this is what it

should look like. It is almost like a room. I think I can see a fire at

the side. He's got a hosta and a bay treatment it looks very at home.

There's something about roof gardens that capture people's imagination. A

little oasis. Janet from Northern Ireland has sent this picture of her

Japanese-inspired garden. This is beautiful. The tea house is great.

Yes, that huge acer, I would love that in my garden. It reminds me of

a gold medal-winning garden with the stream and the water. Perhaps she

was inspired. Thanks to Katherine. You know I am mad about my flowers.

Hinge she's been inspired by Chelsea. Look at the flowers? Or

could Chelsea have been inspired by her. You would feel like you are in

the country in that garden. That English country garden style tugs at

the heartstrings. It is really hard not to love that garden, with that

green structure throughout the garden. I hope they keep sending

even more for us to see. I hope soft. It's so really good quality.

It's been a great day here at Chelsea buts far from over. We'll be

back here on BBC One at the same time tomorrow. Monty and Joe will be

returning at 8 o'clock on BBC Two with a detailed look at more of the

gardens and exhibits here. We'll see you tomorrow. Goodbye.