0:00:11 > 0:00:09Over the last three weeks, the grounds of Royal Hospital in London
0:00:10 > 0:00:13have been overhauled by a team of Hart cultural here rows as they
0:00:14 > 0:00:17prepare for the most celebrated flower show in the world. The sky
0:00:18 > 0:00:24really is the limit here when it comes to garden design. Just look at
0:00:25 > 0:00:31this! And the view from the top gives you a true sense of the
0:00:32 > 0:00:37immense scale of this event. There are Main Avenue gardens. Artisan
0:00:38 > 0:00:43Gardens, Fresh Gardens and some new feel good gardens. A great and
0:00:44 > 0:00:51glorious 12,000 square metre pavilion packed to the rafters with
0:00:52 > 0:00:56over 100 exhibits. Add in 165,000 visitors, more than 60,000 plants
0:00:57 > 0:00:58and, of course, imagine the Queen... It can only mean one thing... It's
0:00:59 > 0:01:34Chelsea 2017. Welcome to the Royal Horticultural
0:01:35 > 0:01:42Society's Chelsea Flower Show 2017. An event supported by M
0:01:43 > 0:01:45Investments. Bringing you an Er' exclusive first look before it opens
0:01:46 > 0:01:49to the world's press tomorrow morning. Everyone has been working
0:01:50 > 0:01:52around the clock to ensure the showground is looking picture
0:01:53 > 0:01:58perfect. There have been some changes this year as the RHS has
0:01:59 > 0:02:03decided to judge the Show Gardens a day early. That means today is
0:02:04 > 0:02:06judgment day not tomorrow. In a competition where every second
0:02:07 > 0:02:11counts, shaving off a day has really ramped up the pressure. Certainly
0:02:12 > 0:02:16has. It's been fair to say it's been pretty will being particular here
0:02:17 > 0:02:21over the last 24 hours as every plant has been pruned and preened
0:02:22 > 0:02:29within an inch of its agricultural life. We are joined by a team of
0:02:30 > 0:02:34green-fingered gurus and a national treasure who is as great a gardener
0:02:35 > 0:02:39as she is a cook, mayory berry. We'll bring you the cream of the
0:02:40 > 0:02:43crop. Here is our very own Monty done with his take on why shell
0:02:44 > 0:02:49sea's still the greatest of them all. Every May for over a century,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53the eyes of the world have turned to London SW 3 for a horticultural
0:02:54 > 0:03:03event which is as important today as it has ever been. Chelsea started
0:03:04 > 0:03:09life as a humble three-day gathering of gardeners in May 1913. In the
0:03:10 > 0:03:14early days, the show was the domain of the landed gentry. They shared
0:03:15 > 0:03:24their passion for blousy blooms and rock gardens. Fast forward over a
0:03:25 > 0:03:31hundred years and now Chelsea is a world leader in innovation,
0:03:32 > 0:03:36plantsmanship and showmanship. We see design let lose. Gardeners break
0:03:37 > 0:03:45moulds, challenge were conceptions and open a world of new
0:03:46 > 0:03:56possibilities. Traditional, formal gardening is given a whole new
0:03:57 > 0:04:04twist. Landscapes show us the art of gardening in inaccessible places.
0:04:05 > 0:04:13Aspirational designs help us to reimagine our outside spaces as
0:04:14 > 0:04:14extensions of our homes. At Chelsea, gardens entertain, inform and even
0:04:15 > 0:04:28make us question what a garden is. It's backbone is the Great Pavilion.
0:04:29 > 0:04:35People from across the globe gather to share their passion for plants.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41If it appears at Chelsea, every gardener wants it. Marking the start
0:04:42 > 0:04:48of the summer season, the great and the good flock to see and be seen.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Yet, it still remains a quintessentially British affair at
0:04:52 > 0:05:00its heart with its pensioners, picnics and, of course, Her Majesty
0:05:01 > 0:05:05the Queen. I've been coming to Chelsea for over 30 years. I still
0:05:06 > 0:05:11get that same tingle of excitement and anticipation as I did the first
0:05:12 > 0:05:15time. And it's because every time you know that you're going to find
0:05:16 > 0:05:18something that will fire and inspire you as a result of this
0:05:19 > 0:05:23extraordinary pageant and celebration of all that is best
0:05:24 > 0:05:27about gardening. Most of us garden at home in a bit of a muddle. We
0:05:28 > 0:05:31make miss stakes, we do our best but we fail. That's part of the process.
0:05:32 > 0:05:37Here, it seems as though everything is perfect. But the point about that
0:05:38 > 0:05:40is you will find something that will elevate your own experience of
0:05:41 > 0:05:45gardening and you can take it away with you. You draw upon it for the
0:05:46 > 0:05:50rest of the year. Your own garden becomes just enriched by what you
0:05:51 > 0:05:54see. So, it is with that expectation, the knowledge that not
0:05:55 > 0:05:59only are you going to be passive but you are going to be enriched by
0:06:00 > 0:06:07Chelsea that always makes it one of the most special occasions of the
0:06:08 > 0:06:10year. I think Monty's right. It is the catwalk of garden design. These
0:06:11 > 0:06:16crazy ideas sometimes. But they filter through to the mainstream. A
0:06:17 > 0:06:20few years later, you see planting combination everywhere. There are
0:06:21 > 0:06:24quite a few gardens this year which are take home gardens. You can
0:06:25 > 0:06:31straps plate what you see here into your own garden whether big or
0:06:32 > 0:06:34small. We will be catching up with Monty later once he's had a chance
0:06:35 > 0:06:39to have a look around. First, a quick taste of the mayhem of the
0:06:40 > 0:06:41last few weeks as the designers and their teams pull out all the stops
0:06:42 > 0:06:56to put their best plants forward. First time on Main Avenue. Are the
0:06:57 > 0:07:03plants going to be flower, will it be ready. A pretty nerve-wracking
0:07:04 > 0:07:10time. It's been great to come with our design. Absolutely. Having your
0:07:11 > 0:07:15best friend to design, it's a laugh, isn't it. This is my fourth Chelsea
0:07:16 > 0:07:22garden. This time, we're hoping for gold. We've had three silver gilts.
0:07:23 > 0:07:28At the moment, it looks monumentally hideous. It will be much softer.
0:07:29 > 0:07:36Constantly pushing, stressing. Everything's tense.
0:07:37 > 0:07:45Cater pillars. I hate cater pillars. They're eating leaves. Thankfully, a
0:07:46 > 0:07:46Robin is having a field day in the back hedge cleaning them all off for
0:07:47 > 0:08:02me. That's a worry. You get here. It's head down, focus,
0:08:03 > 0:08:07don't look left or right. Get on with your garden. There's been quite
0:08:08 > 0:08:12a lot to do. All of the major structural-type things have gone
0:08:13 > 0:08:16into place. You'll see you Wawnedering around looking like he
0:08:17 > 0:08:20we need a coffee and are not doing any work. We're keeping an eye on
0:08:21 > 0:08:26the planting, making sure it's doing the right thing. We're on day 11.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29We're working a pincer movement. The girls have started coming to the
0:08:30 > 0:08:37back. We're pushing the boys out the front. I saw the tree just under a
0:08:38 > 0:08:42year ago. It's been a right nightmare trying to get it in just
0:08:43 > 0:08:43because the hole wasn't wide enough. Then I got carried away and dug it
0:08:44 > 0:08:59too deep. Now it's sat just right. Emotionally I'm going on waves. In
0:09:00 > 0:09:06the morning I think, we've loads to do. My midday you settle down. Then
0:09:07 > 0:09:09you get nervous and then excited. There's loads of prep going on.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15Tidying up plants. Making sure they're in the right places. It's a
0:09:16 > 0:09:21mix of excitement and anxious energy, the pressure of knowing the
0:09:22 > 0:09:25deadline's coming up. A bit like a very tall raised bed. Nice to plant
0:09:26 > 0:09:34at this level instead of bending over. Working with stunning plants.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39It's really a privilege to be doing something like this. It's nice to
0:09:40 > 0:09:47have those moments at the end of the build rather than just staring at
0:09:48 > 0:09:52concrete. This year at Chelsea, there are eight Show Gardens on Main
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Avenue. Throughout the week, we'll be looking in-depth at each and
0:09:57 > 0:10:02every one of them. They're all gardens created to engage, excite
0:10:03 > 0:10:07and challenge you. This here is Linklaters garden for Maggie's
0:10:08 > 0:10:10designed by Dar Ren Hawks. This elevated walkway gives a new
0:10:11 > 0:10:20perspective on the space. It is the first hidden garden ever to be
0:10:21 > 0:10:28attempted on Main Avenue. Darren Hawks is here. This is beautiful,
0:10:29 > 0:10:30why have you hidden it away? You change the perspective on this plot
0:10:31 > 0:10:36and allow people to view it from above. Look down into the courtyard
0:10:37 > 0:10:39garden. But, more importantly, the garden is for Maggie's and they
0:10:40 > 0:10:46provide support for people living with cancer and their families. It
0:10:47 > 0:10:51seemed really appropriate to create a garden that enveloped you and
0:10:52 > 0:10:56created a secluded sanctuary. A real place of peace and calm? I think the
0:10:57 > 0:11:01hedge does that. Then it allows you to fill it with all these lovely
0:11:02 > 0:11:05goodies around us. The first thing people will see is this huge horn
0:11:06 > 0:11:10beam hedge. They can have access to it? They can see it from above?
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Yeah, I think everybody's excited about the fact there's this hedge
0:11:14 > 0:11:17and they can't see it. For me, the most exciting thing and what makes
0:11:18 > 0:11:27this garden unique, is the public are invited to be in it. They are
0:11:28 > 0:11:29not standing behind a rope. They're within the garden and they're very
0:11:30 > 0:11:32much engaging with it. When they do look in here, they'll see this stone
0:11:33 > 0:11:37we're sitting on. When I saw it being built, I thought it was
0:11:38 > 0:11:45granite? It's beautiful. It's like granite. A bass salt-based concrete
0:11:46 > 0:11:50polished. Rough cast. Broken edged and broken up. You have a big block
0:11:51 > 0:12:02there representing the journey people go through? I was looking for
0:12:03 > 0:12:06a metaphor for a life blown apart by that diagnosis of cancer which is
0:12:07 > 0:12:11traumatic for most people. Taking a single cube of concrete and blowing
0:12:12 > 0:12:14it apart within the garden and allowing all the elements inside
0:12:15 > 0:12:19that cube to form the lapped scaping of the garden was something I found
0:12:20 > 0:12:25quite exciting. Beautiful planting. Rambling roast. You've that lovely
0:12:26 > 0:12:29tree there. Stunning. Thank you. One of the great pleasures about being
0:12:30 > 0:12:36here is being able to work with super growers. To have the ability
0:12:37 > 0:12:41to chose an rose last July that's sat here behind me exactly as I
0:12:42 > 0:12:44wanted it, seeing all these little plants dotted around the edge which
0:12:45 > 0:12:49have been giving me nightmares for the last six weeks. They're all
0:12:50 > 0:12:53ready. Yeah, it happens in the last ten days when things burst forth and
0:12:54 > 0:13:01you have a garden. It has all come together. Good luck this week and
0:13:02 > 0:13:04thank you very much. Thank you. All the show gardens have set the bar
0:13:05 > 0:13:12incredibly high. This is Chelsea after all. None more so than Lee
0:13:13 > 0:13:18Bestall. He's taken the challenge of telling the story of the past '500
0:13:19 > 0:13:25years of Covent Garden'. This space is only ten metres square. Now, Lee
0:13:26 > 0:13:30is a first-timer to Main Avenue. He's been to Chelsea before but
0:13:31 > 0:13:35never on Main Avenue. He's come up with a nice, bold, confident design.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39I like these arches. They hold the structure of the garden together.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44These are taken from Covent Garden. These are in miniature. I like the
0:13:45 > 0:13:50verdigris colour and the way he's tied it into these planters on the
0:13:51 > 0:13:53terrace. In these we've lovely ewe-clipped domes. Plenty of
0:13:54 > 0:13:58structure and a nice sense of symmetry. I like the way he faded
0:13:59 > 0:14:02those out into the planting beyond and changed the size of them,
0:14:03 > 0:14:06slightly random. They add really good structure into the borders and
0:14:07 > 0:14:10hold that perennial planting nicely together. He's sourced these apple
0:14:11 > 0:14:14trees. These are pretty old. They were grubbed up and left on the side
0:14:15 > 0:14:19of an orchard, pretty much left to die. He saved them and has brought
0:14:20 > 0:14:24them to this garden here at Chelsea. They will live on in Covent Garden
0:14:25 > 0:14:27after this show. They will be potted up and they will grow down there.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33Everybody can see them. That looks back to the history of Covent
0:14:34 > 0:14:38Garden. It was an apple orchard. 500 years ago. It ties in nicely to the
0:14:39 > 0:14:42history too. I like the way Lee's done his research. He's been down to
0:14:43 > 0:14:47Covent Garden with his tape measure and he's measured the gaps in the
0:14:48 > 0:14:50paving, the gaps in the granite stairs and in the walling as well
0:14:51 > 0:14:56and made sure this garden all works to that scale. But it doesn't feel
0:14:57 > 0:15:01like a big, grand garden. It feels like a very accessible space. A
0:15:02 > 0:15:06garden we could all have, perhaps. I like this seating area. This modern
0:15:07 > 0:15:12furniture represents modern Covent Garden. A bustling place where
0:15:13 > 0:15:16people meet and socialise. The original idea for these are taken
0:15:17 > 0:15:22back to the apple orchard, based on apple crates. They're beautifully
0:15:23 > 0:15:29made. The only thing this Covent Garden garden is missing is someone
0:15:30 > 0:15:33who sprays themselves in silver, an inanimate mime artist standing there
0:15:34 > 0:15:40all day completely static without blinking! How do they do that
0:15:41 > 0:15:45For the design is here, no mountain is too high or river to wide when it
0:15:46 > 0:15:50comes to creating a garden for Chelsea. One design a double act
0:15:51 > 0:15:53this year have taken it upon themselves to recreate an entire
0:15:54 > 0:15:57region in China, almost without putting a spade in the ground. I
0:15:58 > 0:16:05caught up with them as they brought their in genius to central London.
0:16:06 > 0:16:12This is the biggest show garden here at Chelsea. It is also the most
0:16:13 > 0:16:17challenging. Underneath here is one of London's sewers. This is as far
0:16:18 > 0:16:21down as they can dig. In just over two weeks' time, it will be
0:16:22 > 0:16:22transformed into the Chengdu Silk Road garden, and it promises to be
0:16:23 > 0:16:32spectacular. These are the men who have created
0:16:33 > 0:16:38it, the architect Laurie Chetwood and the garden designer Patrick
0:16:39 > 0:16:45Collins. How is it going? Not brilliant at the moment. We are
0:16:46 > 0:16:48discussing these trees, they are looking a bit stressed. They have
0:16:49 > 0:16:52travelled a lot. Plus, it has been so warm, so they are in full flower
0:16:53 > 0:16:59now, two weeks to early. Are they going to be all right? Who knows.
0:17:00 > 0:17:07Is the Chinese influence, it is a Chengdu garden. It is a Chengdu
0:17:08 > 0:17:11garden, famous because it sits on the ancient silk Road, and it has a
0:17:12 > 0:17:15fantastic variety of habitat for planting. It is like an away sis.
0:17:16 > 0:17:22The plants have to be from China. That can also be challenging.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26So this is it. They are describing the typography of the area around
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Chengdu, there are lovely mountains. This goes from white to red, the
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Chinese colour for happiness. They are going to be huge. Five metres
0:17:35 > 0:17:37high in the middle, a flatpack idea that fits together. We are putting
0:17:38 > 0:17:50it together quickly and easily. There's a lot of soil on the site,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54as you can see, but there was going to be a limit for the loading,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58because we have a major London sewer underneath, and we don't want to
0:17:59 > 0:18:09collapse the sewer. The RHS said, on pain of death, do not load this up.
0:18:10 > 0:18:16The trees have actually perked up a bit. He is relieved, and I am, too.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19They have been well watered and we are feeding them. With the weather,
0:18:20 > 0:18:21it is slightly warmer here at the moment. That has helped as well for
0:18:22 > 0:18:32new growth. The Finn is the central feature of
0:18:33 > 0:18:34the garden. For me, it is the excitement of seeing them come in
0:18:35 > 0:18:39and being put in place, it is fantastic.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43I like to think it is a very complex, technical idea. But
0:18:44 > 0:18:52actually, the big hammer does the job.
0:18:53 > 0:19:00Patrick, how is it going? It is mixed, I think. Can we say that? The
0:19:01 > 0:19:04Finns have gone in with a couple of glitches. The architecture in effect
0:19:05 > 0:19:07is in place. I was worried the architecture was a bit strong, but
0:19:08 > 0:19:11with the planting going in, the whole thing gets more balance. The
0:19:12 > 0:19:18bit more harmony comes back into it, which is a relief.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23You were worried about these. They have settled in well. We are happy
0:19:24 > 0:19:26about them, although one died. Will you replace it? It is too late, we
0:19:27 > 0:19:32can't find another one at this late stage.
0:19:33 > 0:19:39Let's talk about timescale. We are not sure how far behind we are, but
0:19:40 > 0:19:43it could be a couple of days, maybe. There will be a few late nights.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46Really? By goodness, you will be planting through the night. It has
0:19:47 > 0:19:54got to be done? It has got to be done. Are you sure? 100%.
0:19:55 > 0:20:03And here we are. Is it finished? Are you happy? It is finished and we are
0:20:04 > 0:20:07very happy. It has been quite a journey but we are there. Were you
0:20:08 > 0:20:13up until the early hours of this morning? We had a few, we were up
0:20:14 > 0:20:16late last night. Until 10pm, all the cars were lined up, the headlights
0:20:17 > 0:20:21shining on the garden, but we got them out. Not what you want to do at
0:20:22 > 0:20:26Chelsea. Not quite but we had a few hours to spare. We did quite well.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Tell us the story of the garden. We have the Chengdu Mountains, we are
0:20:30 > 0:20:35standing on the silk Road. At the centre of it is the legend, the City
0:20:36 > 0:20:40of Chengdu was lost to the sun, so they sent out four elders to find
0:20:41 > 0:20:43the sun. They found it and they were immortalised at four birds that
0:20:44 > 0:20:50circle the sun. One big challenge is that it is not just a big site, you
0:20:51 > 0:20:54get a 360 degrees view. That is right. You can't hide anything
0:20:55 > 0:20:58behind any boundary, everything is on view. It throws up a few
0:20:59 > 0:21:04challenges. What we have tried to do is vary the experience as you walk
0:21:05 > 0:21:07around. On the backside, it is calm. Approaching the front, the colour
0:21:08 > 0:21:13hits you as you come round. We have related the colour to the silk Road,
0:21:14 > 0:21:17giving the impact of vibrancy. And flatpack Gardens, this is a flatpack
0:21:18 > 0:21:21garden, but it is supposed to be easy, but it is the stuff of
0:21:22 > 0:21:29divorces. Everybody. Over flatpack. It sounded good but we talked about
0:21:30 > 0:21:34it, to drop the size of object as a flatpack garden into place was a
0:21:35 > 0:21:42challenge, but it has worked out. De Vos territory at any point? No!
0:21:43 > 0:21:47Hammering it in... I saw that! Be a hammer is the answer to everything.
0:21:48 > 0:21:55The judges are wandering around the showground rout -- right now.
0:21:56 > 0:22:01Between you, you have three goals to your name. How do you feel right
0:22:02 > 0:22:05now? We are nervous. It is the worst time of the show. Best not to watch
0:22:06 > 0:22:08the judges coming, and there is a rotten moment where everybody puts
0:22:09 > 0:22:12their hand up or down, you don't know whether it is to say yes or no.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17It is best not to look. You need a well-deserved rest. It has been a
0:22:18 > 0:22:18long road to Chengdu, but thank you both very much and good luck. Thank
0:22:19 > 0:22:30you. One never fails to intrigue me is
0:22:31 > 0:22:32the complex subject matter and, often, intricate messages designers
0:22:33 > 0:22:39try to convey through their gardens. Take this, on first look, well, it
0:22:40 > 0:22:43is a piece of sculpture, albeit an unusual one. And I like its
0:22:44 > 0:22:46ephemeral quality, but you take a close look, and you see it starts to
0:22:47 > 0:22:50disintegrate and fragment towards the front of the garden. It is
0:22:51 > 0:22:55clearly more going on than meets the eye. There is a hidden meaning. We
0:22:56 > 0:22:57will be trying to unravel this and all of the ambitious designs here at
0:22:58 > 0:23:05Chelsea across the week. Away from the show gardens, at the
0:23:06 > 0:23:10epicentre of the grounds is its beating heart, the Great Pavillion.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13This year, it is home to well over 100 specialist plant exhibitors,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17being the most pristine plants and flowers from across the globe. Carol
0:23:18 > 0:23:21Klein has been jetsetting around, seeking out the plants and players
0:23:22 > 0:23:34with that special wow factor. Roll up, roll up, and welcome to the
0:23:35 > 0:23:38greatest floral carnival on earth. It's time to perk up your petals,
0:23:39 > 0:23:51pump out that perfume and turned your very best side to the camera.
0:23:52 > 0:24:03It's time to dive into this oceanic display of clematis. Wave after wave
0:24:04 > 0:24:10of Pastoral perfection, you can almost hear the sound of the sea. --
0:24:11 > 0:24:20pastel. And if you plunge under the surface,
0:24:21 > 0:24:26you are swimming alongside a shoal of silver refinish. The creativity
0:24:27 > 0:24:37in here is breathtaking. It's out of this world.
0:24:38 > 0:24:45Some of the stands in here are on such a scale, and they have so much
0:24:46 > 0:24:50panache. Rather than walking through a floral display, you feel as though
0:24:51 > 0:25:00you are immersed in a fantasy garden. Just look at it, full
0:25:01 > 0:25:09texture, colour, pure beauty. It's sublime.
0:25:10 > 0:25:20And now it's time to step up the tempo with this cloud of kinetic
0:25:21 > 0:25:22colour. Forget Glastonbury, the festival season starts right here,
0:25:23 > 0:25:46right now. No gala performance would be
0:25:47 > 0:25:50complete without its superstars. And these aren't just any old orchids,
0:25:51 > 0:25:58these are amongst the best in the world, the Eric Young Foundation in
0:25:59 > 0:26:11Jersey. How lucky we are that they have graced us with their presence.
0:26:12 > 0:26:20David Austin's roses are pure romance. It's not just their colour
0:26:21 > 0:26:25that enchants, but these waves of perfused that waft through the air,
0:26:26 > 0:26:26bringing a whole new dimension to our experience of the Great
0:26:27 > 0:26:39Pavillion. -- waves of curfews. To make it into the Great Pavillion
0:26:40 > 0:26:46is a huge achievement in itself, and it can be pretty nerve-racking, too.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50But there are some first-time exhibitors that make it doubly
0:26:51 > 0:27:03difficult by bringing along plants that need more than a little TLC.
0:27:04 > 0:27:10You are looking a bit small. What is the matter with the? I will move you
0:27:11 > 0:27:15close, you will be happier. You will be with each other. Not in there.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20Chop, chop. Where are you? I look at all my plants, and look,
0:27:21 > 0:27:26and think, "You are looking good today." You have got to talk to
0:27:27 > 0:27:31them. They enjoy it. We come back to the talking. That is what I like,
0:27:32 > 0:27:37talking. We know. There he goes again. What is wrong with you
0:27:38 > 0:27:44today...? This operation is just the two of
0:27:45 > 0:27:48us. Yeah. We have done pretty well considering we started with just the
0:27:49 > 0:27:58main two top greenhouses, and it has expanded over seven. We grow palm
0:27:59 > 0:28:04trees. Agaves everything you want exotic is here in Southampton. This
0:28:05 > 0:28:13is the Agave section. Unfortunately, they seem to like to attack me. I
0:28:14 > 0:28:18told you, you should sat talking to the plants, I do it every day. Some
0:28:19 > 0:28:24are happy, some don't like me much, but the majority are happy.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29People are changing their tastes now, they don't want an English
0:28:30 > 0:28:35cottage garden, they want a summer holiday experience back home in our
0:28:36 > 0:28:39gardens. Nice try, well rooted, nice head. He
0:28:40 > 0:28:44can grow quite happy outside. We have one that has come to flower.
0:28:45 > 0:28:50They do flower. It is quite interesting, a spike of yellow comes
0:28:51 > 0:28:57out. You may get a seat. Some seed, some don't. It depends which variety
0:28:58 > 0:29:04it is. Here we are, a great banana to have in the garden. It is brutal
0:29:05 > 0:29:08hadith, not top hardy. If you want to grow a nice, big huge banana, we
0:29:09 > 0:29:13protect the trunk in the winter months. We get a bit of Frost
0:29:14 > 0:29:16damage, but mine. It will come out in spring, and have big comic huge,
0:29:17 > 0:29:3016 foot, 18 foot, banana trees. This one here, a great plant to have
0:29:31 > 0:29:35if you really like your spiky ones. The most crucial care for this one
0:29:36 > 0:29:39in the winter is keep dry. If you have a nice porch away from the rain
0:29:40 > 0:29:42in a nice pot, it will be quite happy for the winter. This is my
0:29:43 > 0:30:00type of plant. My design, OK, you have to
0:30:01 > 0:30:06Voshellise it. Great big palms, dropping off to the yuccas,
0:30:07 > 0:30:08desileriums. I don't know where they go until I get there. If I don't
0:30:09 > 0:30:21like it, I move it. We work round the clock here. We're
0:30:22 > 0:30:24very busy. At night-time, we're here now checking the quality of the
0:30:25 > 0:30:29plants. We look for bugs. That's what we need to do to make sure our
0:30:30 > 0:30:34display is the best for Chelsea this year. I love this job. Seeing this,
0:30:35 > 0:30:41doing this at night-time and doing this any time of day, this is the
0:30:42 > 0:30:47fun. This is what growing plants is about. Enjoy what you do. When you
0:30:48 > 0:30:56move around here at night-time, we have to be really careful. We've
0:30:57 > 0:31:02very sharp striveds. They rip into your legs. Make you bleed. We have
0:31:03 > 0:31:07to use head torches to make sure we do not walk into these trees. Oi!
0:31:08 > 0:31:15Very spiky. Got to be very careful. Watch this one. And, ouch! Spikes
0:31:16 > 0:31:28behind me now. Watch the phoenix, Dawn. Yeah. Ouch! CHUCKLING
0:31:29 > 0:31:33It's not about selling your plant, it is about your children. These are
0:31:34 > 0:31:38my little pets and my children and you've one of me. I want you to come
0:31:39 > 0:31:46back every year and say, fantastic, it has grown and I'll be happy.
0:31:47 > 0:31:54Chelsea is what we're excited about. It is the ultimate of all we do. So,
0:31:55 > 0:31:57yeah, it's top of the Premiership. I won the Premiership as far as I'm
0:31:58 > 0:32:09concerned. Gold will top it off. So, yeah.
0:32:10 > 0:32:16Everything got here safe and sound? It did. They're all looking great.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20It will be great. Are you feeling fighting fit for that Premiership
0:32:21 > 0:32:25final? Ap. I'm going for it. I have the best plants available. So, yeah.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28They're not exactly the softest and gentlest of plants. Did you sustain
0:32:29 > 0:32:34any injuries when you were putting on the display? Got a few scratches,
0:32:35 > 0:32:40a few bruises on my legs. One of them got me. Don't know which one.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44What about the weightlifting alement? It's worth it when you see
0:32:45 > 0:32:49them here on the stage. Worth all the pain and the hurt you go
0:32:50 > 0:32:57through. It was definitely worth it. It's looking terrific. So, a couple
0:32:58 > 0:33:00of times you've been to Chelsea as a visitor on the other side of the
0:33:01 > 0:33:04ropes. Does it feel entirely different on this side? Yes, it's
0:33:05 > 0:33:09more exciting to be here. You dream about being here but you are here.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13You've arrived. Does it look like you imagined it was going to? Now
0:33:14 > 0:33:18the flooring is in, that's really brought the colours out. I've walked
0:33:19 > 0:33:21around a couple of times, gone away, come back, yes, I'm still very
0:33:22 > 0:33:27happy. I think, I like the stand today. So it's as brilliant as it
0:33:28 > 0:33:32can be and your plants have really shone, haven't they? They have. It's
0:33:33 > 0:33:37fantastic. To show off now my plants that I've grown, it's going to be
0:33:38 > 0:33:42great. Yes. Every one of these plants is an individual. Have you
0:33:43 > 0:33:46got a soft spot for any of them? Is one your favourite? This arrived in
0:33:47 > 0:33:51the post very small. Nurtured that on. Five years to get bigger and
0:33:52 > 0:34:01bigger. Now, to be here at Chelsea, great. It's taken its rightful
0:34:02 > 0:34:06place? In centre stage. Still plenty more to come in this exclusive
0:34:07 > 0:34:13preview of the Chelsea Flower Show 2017. An event supported by M
0:34:14 > 0:34:20Investments. We'll explore exciting new editions to the showground, the
0:34:21 > 0:34:28feel good gardens with Jo Whiley. Keep going. It's all right for you.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31You can join in. With the help of designer Nigel Dunnett, we'll see
0:34:32 > 0:34:36how you can green the most urban of spaces. We detective receiptly need
0:34:37 > 0:34:41to bring far and green back into contact with people. Now, over to
0:34:42 > 0:34:46Sophie to give us a tantalising glimpse of some of the more compact
0:34:47 > 0:34:51designs on offer this year. The small gardens always draw the crowds
0:34:52 > 0:34:57at Chelsea. They are divided into two categories, fresh and artisan.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00The Artisan Gardens use arts and crafts whereas the Fresh Gardens
0:35:01 > 0:35:09redefine our expectations of what a garden space can be. To give us our
0:35:10 > 0:35:12first peak at the small but perfectly designs small gardens, is
0:35:13 > 0:35:27Juliet and Adam Frost. What I really love about the Fresh
0:35:28 > 0:35:30Gardens is there are no boundaries at all to the designer's
0:35:31 > 0:35:33imagination. They can take just one idea and use that to inform every
0:35:34 > 0:35:46single detail of the garden. So, this garden is called beneath
0:35:47 > 0:35:54the Mexican sky. I just love the really brave use of colour here. On
0:35:55 > 0:35:57the vertical plain, the orange and ping contrasts fantastically with
0:35:58 > 0:36:04the cool blue on the horizontal plain.
0:36:05 > 0:36:12The Mexican theme continues into the planting. With bold,
0:36:13 > 0:36:19drought-tolerant silvery succulents and grasses. Behind me, is the
0:36:20 > 0:36:23architectural and statuesque cacti. What I love most, the garden
0:36:24 > 0:36:29designer has not made this garden too hard. He's softened it with
0:36:30 > 0:36:34lovely, floating, silvery forms. Above the grasses, bob the heads of
0:36:35 > 0:36:42brightly coloured ping and orange which reflect the walls all around
0:36:43 > 0:36:47the garden. Though the garden is full of arid, Mediterranean
0:36:48 > 0:36:51planting, it's actually is surprisingly refreshing space to be
0:36:52 > 0:36:59in with this large body of water and the beautiful Turk wows colour that
0:37:00 > 0:37:08runs up into the juicy agave plant. A vital ingredient for Mexican
0:37:09 > 0:37:13tequila. So, this Fresh Garden is completely different. It's called
0:37:14 > 0:37:17the mind trove. It reflects the very personal story of the designer as he
0:37:18 > 0:37:23wept through depression and out the other side. Every single detail in
0:37:24 > 0:37:27this garden has been carefully thought about so that it tells the
0:37:28 > 0:37:36story of recovery from mental illness. Ian the pool is symbolic.
0:37:37 > 0:37:47It represents a place of loneliness. Taking back control requires a step
0:37:48 > 0:37:50out into the unknown. The inside of the garden really illustrates the
0:37:51 > 0:37:57state of mind of somebody suffering with depression. We have the twisted
0:37:58 > 0:38:03form of the corokia plant add the brutal sharp thorns of the poncerus.
0:38:04 > 0:38:09This garden says to me it really is OK not to be OK. And the colourful
0:38:10 > 0:38:17planting on the outside highlights the positive message of this garden
0:38:18 > 0:38:21that none of us are alone. So, these are the Fresh Gardens. What I really
0:38:22 > 0:38:26love most about them is there's no restrictions. No holds barred. You
0:38:27 > 0:38:35can really let your imagination run wild.
0:38:36 > 0:38:42For me, when you look at those fresh gardens, they could even question
0:38:43 > 0:38:46what the concept of a garden is. But then you look at the artisans and
0:38:47 > 0:38:57you can think picture postcard. Or you can liken them to a painting.
0:38:58 > 0:39:05This is a lovely little garden. I walked around the corner and saw it.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08It put a massive smile on my face. When I looked, I didn't think it
0:39:09 > 0:39:16necessarily looked like an artisan garden. In my head I've artisan as
0:39:17 > 0:39:23calmer, I suppose cottagey. This inspired by Goudi and this slightly
0:39:24 > 0:39:27mad park he created in Barcelona, it is fantasy meets fairy tale with
0:39:28 > 0:39:31abstract in the middle. The detail is absolutely fantastic. But you
0:39:32 > 0:39:37really need to look at the craftsmanship in this garden. It's
0:39:38 > 0:39:41really cool the way this Bath stone has been used in its different
0:39:42 > 0:39:46states. This standing stone's been blasted right back to expose the
0:39:47 > 0:39:51shell. In behind, this beautiful rubber wall which gives real
0:39:52 > 0:39:56texture. Come across. Then sawn with this beautiful mosaic top to it.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01Then you look at the floor and it takes me back to 1970s London and
0:40:02 > 0:40:08crazy paving all over the place. But this has a lovely feel. Planting,
0:40:09 > 0:40:13bang, pops out. Architecturally. Then you look a little closer. The
0:40:14 > 0:40:16colours used really tie back in with the mosaic. The craftsmanship in
0:40:17 > 0:40:33this garden really is artisan. From a park in Barcelona to
0:40:34 > 0:40:36industrial Britain. The garden's inspired by an old industrial
0:40:37 > 0:40:42Wharfe. You can imagine it. The boats coming in. The big old Jeb.
0:40:43 > 0:40:49The bridge across. The garden smells of graft. There's a real oily aroma
0:40:50 > 0:40:52in the air. It's clever as well. In behind is actually borrowed the
0:40:53 > 0:40:57landscape which brings everything down. Then you look at the planting.
0:40:58 > 0:41:03The clever bit is actually the tonage. The barks, the little detail
0:41:04 > 0:41:08in the cones. And the flower. Simple. They tie really well with
0:41:09 > 0:41:12the materials. I think I can imagine walking out here on a Saturday
0:41:13 > 0:41:17morning and sitting having a cup of tea and doing a little bit of
0:41:18 > 0:41:22pottering. In a sense, I've been to Europe and back. Both completely
0:41:23 > 0:41:29different gardens. But, the one thing they've in common, is they
0:41:30 > 0:41:36really do celebrate artisan. Real drafteesmen, we should do more of
0:41:37 > 0:41:40it. -- craftsmen. Everything here at Chelsea bombards the senses.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44Something that the RHS have decided to make a feature of this year with
0:41:45 > 0:41:49their five feel good gardens. Each one focuses on one of the five
0:41:50 > 0:41:52senses and is champ beyond by a Radio 2 DJ as part of their 5th
0:41:53 > 0:41:59anniversary celebrations. This one here, you can hear it humming. It's
0:42:00 > 0:42:02dedicated to sound. The ground in there is literally vibrating. Next
0:42:03 > 0:42:08door to it, this is all about taste. And you can see why. Look at that
0:42:09 > 0:42:13incredible array of vegetables that all ready to pick and devour. Over
0:42:14 > 0:42:18here, it's all about smell. I caught up with its Radio 2 ambassador Jo
0:42:19 > 0:42:25Whiley just a week ago when she was knee deep in mud.
0:42:26 > 0:42:30Jo Whiley, I've seen you here at Chelsea so many times on the opening
0:42:31 > 0:42:36day. Now you've swaned in here with your own garden. I know. I've hob
0:42:37 > 0:42:41nail boots on and high vis jacket. Couldn't be happier. I'm in the
0:42:42 > 0:42:47scents garden. The best phone call I've had when asked to get involved.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50In is our garden. Jo, you've a wonderful garden at home. This is
0:42:51 > 0:42:56very different doing it here at Chelsea? It is fascinating, coming
0:42:57 > 0:42:59here seeing walls being constructed. Big truckers, diggers, lorries going
0:43:00 > 0:43:03around. It is so transformed by the end. It is like being in a sweet
0:43:04 > 0:43:07shop. Racks of plants you can pick and choose. It is the best place in
0:43:08 > 0:43:11the world to be, to see what's on offer and what you can create. A
0:43:12 > 0:43:17million mimes away from my own garden. Kay and Tamara are the
0:43:18 > 0:43:22designers. I'm planting this rose in here now. Sophie, this is hard work.
0:43:23 > 0:43:29Do you want me to help you? There we go. The power of the Raworth! That's
0:43:30 > 0:43:36from somebody's garden last year, I think! What do you think? It looks
0:43:37 > 0:43:42pretty good. We better check with the bosses. We're their slaves! I
0:43:43 > 0:43:51love all the words engraved on this wall. All the scent memories. Dusty
0:43:52 > 0:43:55vinyl. That must be one of yours. You've got a great ambassador here.
0:43:56 > 0:44:01I know. Just happy to be your servant and get my hands dirty. What
0:44:02 > 0:44:07next? The other rose. Putter to work. How's she doing? The truth.
0:44:08 > 0:44:13She's brilliant. It's so fabulous having someone who just wants to get
0:44:14 > 0:44:17stuck in. Keep going, Jo, keep going. It's all right for you
0:44:18 > 0:44:23sitting over there. I can join in, you know. Look at this. I know. What
0:44:24 > 0:44:28a difference a few days make. All your hard work, Jo. I know. You must
0:44:29 > 0:44:40be delighted with what you've all achieved? I'm wowed by it all.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43Amazing so wonderful. The realisation of the conversations.
0:44:44 > 0:44:47The water's trickling to the side in the pool there. Gorgeous. There are
0:44:48 > 0:44:51beautiful details. The water feature being one of them. I was very glad
0:44:52 > 0:44:57to see that rose is still there. It's still there. The girls have not
0:44:58 > 0:45:00moved it. This is the scent garden. There are, just sitting here,
0:45:01 > 0:45:04wonderful scents. It is so important in a garden. It really does evoke
0:45:05 > 0:45:12very powerful feelings in people? Very much. The memories I have
0:45:13 > 0:45:17thinking about the garden my mum attended, was the honeysuckle. When
0:45:18 > 0:45:23I smell honeysuckle now it takes me back there. Jasmine as well. In my
0:45:24 > 0:45:26own home, I've a herb garden. There's fennel andtime here as well.
0:45:27 > 0:45:31It is so evocative and really takes you on a journey. That's the idea of
0:45:32 > 0:45:36a wall. My parents had lavender. Going up their front garden path.
0:45:37 > 0:45:41Lavender and rosemary, still to this day, really makes me think of home
0:45:42 > 0:45:46when I smell that. Rosemary and sage, Sunday roasts. This garden is
0:45:47 > 0:45:55not being judged. It takes the pressure off a little bit
0:45:56 > 0:46:02I am so proud of them, or the gardens look wonderful. What I love
0:46:03 > 0:46:06is all these gardens are very much things you can take home and do
0:46:07 > 0:46:13yourself pretty easily. Very much so. I have my eye on a few pieces.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17This is like my garden. I hope people will come and will look, and
0:46:18 > 0:46:24they can absolutely do this in their own garden. We have got the
0:46:25 > 0:46:28foxgloves that grow, they self seed all over the place. People can
0:46:29 > 0:46:32recreate a garden like this. We have been bombarded by bumblebees. The
0:46:33 > 0:46:37bumblebees love your garden. Is there anything you have seen and
0:46:38 > 0:46:42thought, I must do that at home? The angelic all around us. Those massive
0:46:43 > 0:46:45plants will go on the of my borders. The public coming in tomorrow will
0:46:46 > 0:46:49no doubt stand here in their droves watching your garden. I hope they
0:46:50 > 0:46:55enjoy it. You must be proud. What a wonderful thing to have done. This
0:46:56 > 0:47:01is an absolute dream. To have our own garden here, it doesn't get much
0:47:02 > 0:47:04better. It really doesn't. Shall we just stay here? Gin and tonic,
0:47:05 > 0:47:14actually! Fine by me! Thanks, Jo! Lovely to see Jo and great to see a
0:47:15 > 0:47:22DJ getting her hands dirty, too. From one set of gardens that are not
0:47:23 > 0:47:27being judged, to another. This impressive garden is packed with
0:47:28 > 0:47:31sustainable planting and ideas to encourage people to transform their
0:47:32 > 0:47:36local grave spaces into green places for people and wildlife. We caught
0:47:37 > 0:47:38up with designer Nigel Dunnett, who has taken inspiration for this
0:47:39 > 0:47:49garden from one of his earliest projects at the Barbican in London.
0:47:50 > 0:47:58There are 65 million people living in the UK, and a staggering 84% of
0:47:59 > 0:48:00that population live in cities. And big cities like London,
0:48:01 > 0:48:05high-density, development and built up areas, we desperately need to
0:48:06 > 0:48:11bring nature and green into contact with people. And yet, in so many
0:48:12 > 0:48:18places, we fail to do it. I am Nigel Dunnett, and I am passionate about
0:48:19 > 0:48:21greening our urban spaces. As a professor, design and expert in the
0:48:22 > 0:48:26creative and imaginative use of plants, I have been involved in some
0:48:27 > 0:48:33huge greening projects, such as the Olympic Park in London's east end.
0:48:34 > 0:48:38My garden at Chelsea provides a vision or blueprint for how we can
0:48:39 > 0:48:41develop places in the future. One of my biggest influences for the
0:48:42 > 0:48:49Chelsea garden is the Barbican Centre. It is this fantastic, iconic
0:48:50 > 0:48:57example of architecture, a perfect utopia of people centred urban
0:48:58 > 0:49:02living. I have worked here for 3-4 years. With all the grey and
0:49:03 > 0:49:09concrete, I saw the need to really bring a very dynamic and softness
0:49:10 > 0:49:12and exuberance to planting. Although it looks beautiful, it's actually
0:49:13 > 0:49:16really important, because it is the sort of thing we need to do a lot
0:49:17 > 0:49:20more of in urban environments, because it is low-cost, it looks
0:49:21 > 0:49:25after its to some extent. The scale of this, it works on all scales.
0:49:26 > 0:49:32Gros, hectares of the stuff, and it is beautiful for the drama, but you
0:49:33 > 0:49:36can take a square metre, and it is a sparkling, beautiful, flower
0:49:37 > 0:49:40arrangement on the ground. Even I am amazed at how much this changes
0:49:41 > 0:49:47every time I come, week to week, month to month. Today, the
0:49:48 > 0:49:54lime-green, but also the upright white is a nice contrast. In a few
0:49:55 > 0:49:58weeks' time, this will all turn purple, purple coming through
0:49:59 > 0:50:05everywhere. Later on, it turns red, then blue, then it goes purple. You
0:50:06 > 0:50:10come every week, and it changes. It is always something different. That
0:50:11 > 0:50:14is what I call dynamic planting. Because it is 2- free plant species
0:50:15 > 0:50:18at any one time, you get the same change throughout. It is an
0:50:19 > 0:50:22overwhelming experience. I want people to feel in the middle of this
0:50:23 > 0:50:29concrete jungle like they are in the middle of a fantastic, almost
0:50:30 > 0:50:33psychedelic wild flower meadow. The garden at Chelsea takes a
0:50:34 > 0:50:37starting point from what we have at the Barbican, but takes it weighed
0:50:38 > 0:50:41more than that. It is just the inspiration. The garden has an
0:50:42 > 0:50:47apartment block as its main focal point, with narrow balcony is full
0:50:48 > 0:50:51of plants and seating spaces, small private areas on the ground with
0:50:52 > 0:50:56lots of ideas in there. I am using a street artist from Sheffield, Joe
0:50:57 > 0:51:00Peel, to paint the walls, to give an urban context for the garden. As
0:51:01 > 0:51:06part of a boundary walls, we are using a new green hoarding, much
0:51:07 > 0:51:14more attractive than the normal bleak surroundings we encounter.
0:51:15 > 0:51:20One of the really exciting things here is the use of water. We have
0:51:21 > 0:51:25planted these wetlands Erreala with native wild flowers, for example but
0:51:26 > 0:51:30Marsh marigolds down here, which are flowering now. Lots of colour, but
0:51:31 > 0:51:34great for wildlife. With Chelsea, we have brought water in as a central
0:51:35 > 0:51:37part of the garden. The path goes through and over water. At the
0:51:38 > 0:51:43Barbican, bridges go across and people can walk through the water.
0:51:44 > 0:51:46We have tried to get that field. Water areas are multifunctional,
0:51:47 > 0:51:47they soak up rainwater, as well as looking good and having the
0:51:48 > 0:51:58wildlife. The architecture here was
0:51:59 > 0:52:02pioneering, cutting edge. It was like brave New World at the time. I
0:52:03 > 0:52:06like to think that what we do with the planting of the landscape and
0:52:07 > 0:52:09everything here is, in terms of gardens, cutting-edge and
0:52:10 > 0:52:13pioneering, and showing us a way ahead, too.
0:52:14 > 0:52:20Plants and gardens can do so much for us. I really hope the Chelsea
0:52:21 > 0:52:25garden will inspire people to take ideas away and make their own Mark.
0:52:26 > 0:52:33Anywhere where there is a chance to really green up Britain.
0:52:34 > 0:52:41Nigel, I have recently been to the Barbican, planting looks fantastic.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45It feels so good for one's soul, in an otherwise harsh environment. This
0:52:46 > 0:52:50is your Brave new green world, are you pleased with it? It is
0:52:51 > 0:52:54fantastic. More than pleased. It has really come together. It is a vision
0:52:55 > 0:52:58for the future about how we can really pack our green spaces, our
0:52:59 > 0:53:02gardens, even in the most restricted spaces with so much life and
0:53:03 > 0:53:08richness, but also make it beautiful and functional. Run us through what
0:53:09 > 0:53:12you have got here, then. In very urban context, apartment blocks,
0:53:13 > 0:53:18small spaces, we are trying to make a haven to show what you can do in
0:53:19 > 0:53:22the smallest of spaces, particularly growing food. We have an edible
0:53:23 > 0:53:27table, apple trees growing up through herbs, vertical planters
0:53:28 > 0:53:32with herbs and vegetables in it. We are taking the rainwater off the
0:53:33 > 0:53:37roof, doing the whole sustainable... watering these areas. It comes
0:53:38 > 0:53:40through to the wetlands. It can fill up, but in dry weather, the water
0:53:41 > 0:53:46can go down, but the plants can survive in these concrete pipes. It
0:53:47 > 0:53:55is multifunctional. And a bike store over there. Usually you can be
0:53:56 > 0:54:00embarrassed by these things, but each is a chance to green up and put
0:54:01 > 0:54:04plants in. Planting here is exuberant, joyful and uplifting. It
0:54:05 > 0:54:08is realistic. It is the same as what I have done at the Barbican. There
0:54:09 > 0:54:12are lots of different areas, it shows you how you can reapply
0:54:13 > 0:54:17gardening and horticultural planting to areas where you didn't think you
0:54:18 > 0:54:21could. Really difficult places. There are so many exciting ideas. We
0:54:22 > 0:54:26have tried to make it really smart, and clean, so it is not scruffy. A
0:54:27 > 0:54:32lot of people think sustainable gardens. This is sustainable through
0:54:33 > 0:54:36and through. Greening Grey Britain is really cutting through, the
0:54:37 > 0:54:42campaign. The RHS have done a great job and taken on designers like you.
0:54:43 > 0:54:46Well done. Thank you. There you go, from bike sheds to green walls, if
0:54:47 > 0:54:47you don't have a garden, there are things you can do, too, to green up
0:54:48 > 0:55:01your life. And Nigel's garden... The One Show
0:55:02 > 0:55:06will announce the winner on Monday 29th May on The One Show. One T is
0:55:07 > 0:55:07here. You have been looking around, what are your first impressions of
0:55:08 > 0:55:10Chelsea 20s Aberdeen? The obvious thing it is not
0:55:11 > 0:55:24like last year or previous years? You can't help but notice the first
0:55:25 > 0:55:29thing, there are fewer Big Show gardens. That is very noticeable.
0:55:30 > 0:55:39The ones that are there are a mixed bag. I think James Basson's one
0:55:40 > 0:55:44standout. One or two I am working out, one or two aren't my cup of
0:55:45 > 0:55:48tea. But I think, as always, it is a mistake to come to judgment. That is
0:55:49 > 0:55:53what judges are for. You are taking a lot in, but there is less of that
0:55:54 > 0:55:58this year. 17 show gardens lasted, eight this year. Lots of changes.
0:55:59 > 0:56:04Including here. The BBC home has had a make over. You have been busy. I
0:56:05 > 0:56:09didn't have anything else to do. What do you think of the show? I
0:56:10 > 0:56:11think we have do dig a little deeper. The Great Pavillion is
0:56:12 > 0:56:18stunning, some great Artisan gardens. We are here all week, so
0:56:19 > 0:56:22plenty to look at. You two will be hard at work, the gardens have been
0:56:23 > 0:56:25under the microscope already today, and all week, people camp at you
0:56:26 > 0:56:36under the microscope as well. We have a new thing #askmontyandjoe. Jo
0:56:37 > 0:56:43Whiley has kicked us off, she wants to know what frequent plant is a
0:56:44 > 0:56:52must have for any garden? Only one? For the winter, Christmas box. That
0:56:53 > 0:56:58is one. Is that it? Honeysuckle. Short and sharp answers from you
0:56:59 > 0:57:09two. The jasmine. I like tobacco plants in the summer. One! Roses are
0:57:10 > 0:57:16gorgeous. There are hundreds of fantastic plants out there. What
0:57:17 > 0:57:24about you? I have got to have geraniums, lavender and rosemary.
0:57:25 > 0:57:27And nice roses, obviously. Lovely, aromatic foliage. It doesn't always
0:57:28 > 0:57:32have to be flowers. That brings us to the end of the
0:57:33 > 0:57:38show, Nikki and James will be here tomorrow 3:45 on BBC One to bring
0:57:39 > 0:57:43you all the glitz, glamour, the celebrities and the opening day. We
0:57:44 > 0:57:47will be back tomorrow at 7:30 when we have none other than Peter Kay
0:57:48 > 0:57:51joining us for his unique take on this very British affair. Who knows
0:57:52 > 0:57:56what mischief he will be up to. We are feeling that brave. And I will
0:57:57 > 0:57:59be with Joe on BBC Two later in the evening to bring you our first
0:58:00 > 0:58:05in-depth analysis of Chelsea 2017, and exclusive coverage of the royal
0:58:06 > 0:58:09visit. Not to mention an appearance from our other Queen, Mary Berry, as
0:58:10 > 0:58:13she proves she is just as at home in the garden as she is in the kitchen.
0:58:14 > 0:58:17See you tomorrow. From all of us now, goodbye. Goodbye.