:00:33. > :00:34.Hello and welcome to The Royal Horticultural Society's
:00:35. > :00:38.Chelsea Flower Show 2017, an event supported
:00:39. > :00:51.It's the opening day of the most celebrated flower show on Earth
:00:52. > :00:54.and the world's press has descended en masse to get a first
:00:55. > :00:56.look at what Chelsea has to offer this year.
:00:57. > :00:59.There's been a real sense of excitement in the air,
:01:00. > :01:01.as a host of VIPs and famous faces join the press pack
:01:02. > :01:07.to take in the very best plants and garden design.
:01:08. > :01:11.But you don't need a VIP pass to enjoy this year's offering,
:01:12. > :01:13.because we will be covering every inch
:01:14. > :01:18.here on the BBC, ensuring you don't miss a moment.
:01:19. > :01:21.Our team of garden design and plant experts will be your guides
:01:22. > :01:25.throughout the week sharing their specialist knowledge
:01:26. > :01:30.Coming up on tonight's programme, Joe
:01:31. > :01:33.and I give our first impressions of the large show gardens and we'll
:01:34. > :01:35.be meeting designer Tracy Foster as she takes on the challenge
:01:36. > :01:39.of bringing the rugged Yorkshire coastline to Chelsea.
:01:40. > :01:42.We'll be meeting the Great Pavilion exhibitor whose passion for Alliums
:01:43. > :01:45.helped establish them as a favourite in the British summer border.
:01:46. > :01:49.Joanna Lumley is here to share her passion
:01:50. > :01:51.for gardening and why, for her, the Chelsea Flower Show
:01:52. > :01:55.Adam Frost will be with us throughout the week,
:01:56. > :01:57.to show how you can use the best design ideas at Chelsea
:01:58. > :02:03.Tonight, it's all about maximising small spaces.
:02:04. > :02:05.And just hours ago, Her Majesty the Queen arrived
:02:06. > :02:08.for her annual visit to the show, and we'll be bringing
:02:09. > :02:16.As visitors arrive at the show, the first point of call is usually
:02:17. > :02:20.Monty and I were eager to do the same, so earlier we headed down
:02:21. > :02:35.There has always been something of the catwalk about the main show
:02:36. > :02:39.gardens here at Chelsea. They set the fashions from which we tend to
:02:40. > :02:45.follow. What you see here today will start popping up in gardens all over
:02:46. > :02:48.the country in the years to come. And there have been certain trends
:02:49. > :02:53.over the last few years which are starting to become repeated, and one
:02:54. > :02:59.of them is to take a landscape and conceptualise it, think of Dan
:03:00. > :03:03.Pearson or Andy Sturgeon's Gardens. And this year is no exception.
:03:04. > :03:08.Whether that means what we are seeing are true gardens or works of
:03:09. > :03:12.art or ideas, I don't think that matters. What matters is that you
:03:13. > :03:17.can find something in it that is meaningful to you, and that you
:03:18. > :03:22.enjoy it. And here we have Breaking Ground Garden and that follows that
:03:23. > :03:25.pattern. It is based upon the landscape around Wellington College
:03:26. > :03:31.in Berkshire, and it seem really is learning. I know that landscape, it
:03:32. > :03:34.is heathland, although most of our heathland has disappeared over the
:03:35. > :03:37.last 100 years, and at the back of the garden you can see a little
:03:38. > :03:42.re-creation of his lid with its typical flora, and that great,
:03:43. > :03:47.gritty, Sandy, acidic soil, I know because I went to school just down
:03:48. > :03:52.the road from there, and I can smell it. And these walls which I first
:03:53. > :03:58.thought was something to do with DNA or chemical structure, but they
:03:59. > :04:04.represent the walls of learning, they break down and start again, and
:04:05. > :04:10.that is how learning works. This wall has the aspirations of learning
:04:11. > :04:15.through pupils. And here the synapses connecting the planting in
:04:16. > :04:19.the pavement. It is flowing free and moving out, and the lines of colour
:04:20. > :04:25.weaving and trending towards the future where education is left
:04:26. > :04:28.behind, but never forgotten. We go back to that question, is it a
:04:29. > :04:33.garden? Does it relate to me at home? And I think the answer is
:04:34. > :04:37.absolutely yes, because there will be something here, something in all
:04:38. > :04:44.the gardens at Chelsea that you can find, you can use and make your own
:04:45. > :04:48.garden the better for it. From a damp northern European landscape to
:04:49. > :04:54.this scorched and arid Mediterranean. The idea here is a
:04:55. > :04:59.Maltese quarry that has been completely abandoned. So originally
:05:00. > :05:04.the ground level would be at the top of these wonderful towers here,
:05:05. > :05:08.these are just huge and imposing on the site, and the whole area around
:05:09. > :05:13.has been excavated out as the quarry has been developed. But over time,
:05:14. > :05:17.the quarry has been abandoned, and a couple have taken over the site and
:05:18. > :05:22.turned it into a garden, and it really is a functional garden. We
:05:23. > :05:27.have a seating area at the top with this wonderful pistachio holding the
:05:28. > :05:32.corner as you walk down to the sunken area, and I really like this
:05:33. > :05:36.garden because it is a landscape. It really conjures up the essence of a
:05:37. > :05:39.landscape, but it is also an incredibly contemporary garden at
:05:40. > :05:43.the same time, it has a very strong mood about it, and everything works
:05:44. > :05:48.with that theme which makes it so successful. The new owners have
:05:49. > :05:50.found these old pieces of stone on-site and they have rearranged
:05:51. > :05:55.them and used what they can enter this sort of chequerboard effect of
:05:56. > :06:02.stones, and I like the way that the boundary has got these saw marks cut
:06:03. > :06:05.in to add texture and backdrop to the whole garden, because the stone
:06:06. > :06:09.is continuous throughout the site and it gives that a real sense of
:06:10. > :06:13.harmony. The plants have got that sense that it has been abandoned,
:06:14. > :06:16.they have self seeded and dotted around, but there is a huge range of
:06:17. > :06:24.endemic lance at the same time, salsify over there, and Islay of the
:06:25. > :06:32.red Valeri and behind me. And this fantastic terrace and this water,
:06:33. > :06:38.the colour is perfect, the quality is so tempting. As the week goes on
:06:39. > :06:42.and the temperatures rise, I can see people diving in and enjoying this
:06:43. > :06:45.space. I will stick my neck out on this garden, I think James is
:06:46. > :06:51.heading for his fourth Chelsea gold medal. I have said it. Another show
:06:52. > :06:54.garden designer, Tracy Foster, was faced with the task of capturing the
:06:55. > :07:01.essence of Yorkshire's coastline. Sophie Raworth caught
:07:02. > :07:03.up with Tracy onsite during the hectic three-week build,
:07:04. > :07:12.to see if her months Your first time doing a show garden
:07:13. > :07:17.on Main Avenue. You'd think you'd keep it kind of simple. Not so per
:07:18. > :07:21.Tracy Foster, because she has decided to bring a slice of the
:07:22. > :07:24.Yorkshire coastline to central London, complete with cliffs and the
:07:25. > :07:35.sea. Tracy, it is certainly ambitious.
:07:36. > :07:38.Explain what you are doing. What is going on here is the front of the
:07:39. > :07:42.garden will be the water feature, and the water feature is all about
:07:43. > :07:45.the sea, so I couldn't really do a small water feature, it had to be
:07:46. > :07:50.quite big. How will you do that there? Yes, everybody keeps asking
:07:51. > :08:02.me that! Richard is constructing some sort of
:08:03. > :08:08.cliff like walls. They are beautiful behind us. Huge pieces of chalk that
:08:09. > :08:13.we got out of the quarry, and then we will just form the land, rolling
:08:14. > :08:17.right up to the level of the top of the cliffs, and then on the top,
:08:18. > :08:24.that is where there will be a ruin, and it puts a bit of mood in the
:08:25. > :08:27.garden as well. This isn't your first time at Chelsea, you have done
:08:28. > :08:32.an Artisan garden here, but the problems of the scale is a different
:08:33. > :08:36.kettle of fish. It has been a huge change having a massive team of
:08:37. > :08:39.people and lots of people responsible for different things,
:08:40. > :08:44.things I am not involved in at all. And you are standing here at the
:08:45. > :08:45.moment, itching to get in there. I'm dying to do something that might be
:08:46. > :08:56.useful to somebody! It is the nerve-racking bit, I can't
:08:57. > :09:03.stand it when people are touching the trees. Is it straight, Tracy?
:09:04. > :09:10.They are putting the steps in now. When the paths is structured in the
:09:11. > :09:16.shape of it, and even though bits have been built, it is just random.
:09:17. > :09:24.It isn't particularly stable. Now the sea bed is starting to be made
:09:25. > :09:32.up, it is miles better. It is pretty much completed now, the folly, so we
:09:33. > :09:36.have completed it with some mud and water in a bucket! Everything seems
:09:37. > :09:46.to be OK. I guess there is time for stuff to go wrong if it is going to.
:09:47. > :09:54.Have you not been sleeping much? I haven't been sleeping tremendously
:09:55. > :09:57.well, no. I think that is pretty standard. You are lucky to get five
:09:58. > :10:01.hours. But it is all coming together. Today is the big day,
:10:02. > :10:07.getting the turf in. You have just started that? Yes, it is quite easy
:10:08. > :10:12.to cut, it feels a bit like cheating, but I'm sure it's the
:10:13. > :10:20.right thing for a bank like that. And the sea does ebb and flow,
:10:21. > :10:23.doesn't it? Yes, it is really nice. It is an ambitious garden, isn't it?
:10:24. > :10:29.You are literally bringing a Yorkshire Cliffside to Chelsea. We
:10:30. > :10:33.knew it was an ambitious plan. I didn't want to play it safe. What's
:10:34. > :10:37.the point? I love this hedgerow along the side of the path, which
:10:38. > :10:42.looks more spectacular when the turf is not there. It is area and light,
:10:43. > :10:46.and I feel it is very believable. That is one good thing about doing a
:10:47. > :10:47.natural garden, if something goes over a bit, it looks more natural!
:10:48. > :11:02.It helps! I like your logic. Tracy, this is quite a build. You
:11:03. > :11:06.have really had to build up the site. Yes, we brought in a lot of
:11:07. > :11:10.soil and had to build some strong retaining walls. Because you have a
:11:11. > :11:16.neighbour next door. And we don't want it to fall on them! And how
:11:17. > :11:20.have you found the experience? I have enjoyed it, it is quite hectic
:11:21. > :11:25.and frantic on Main Avenue, a lot of coming and going, but on balance it
:11:26. > :11:30.has been good fun. And the thing that I think people are going to
:11:31. > :11:34.ask, is this a garden, or is it a landscape? What have you created
:11:35. > :11:37.here? It is a garden, not in the conventional sense of a garden you
:11:38. > :11:40.would have around the back of your town house where you would have a
:11:41. > :11:45.table and chairs and enjoy your barbecue. But it is a garden in the
:11:46. > :11:48.way that you might have a lake and a Himalayan planting or something like
:11:49. > :11:54.that, maybe as part of a larger garden. I'm sure it would be fun to
:11:55. > :11:57.own and sit in and enjoy. You are really tried to conjure up the
:11:58. > :12:02.Yorkshire landscape, that is what this is all about. It is here to
:12:03. > :12:04.give a message and to show people that there is something beautiful up
:12:05. > :12:09.there and it is worth going to have a look. And all of the plants and
:12:10. > :12:12.materials have been sourced locally? All the materials were sourced
:12:13. > :12:17.locally, right down to the pebbles and the sand. So where are these
:12:18. > :12:22.from? They are on loan from Flamborough Beach, they are going
:12:23. > :12:28.back. The plants would grow there, quite unique conditions, but they
:12:29. > :12:31.are not all grown there. And the hedgerow is stunning, it is
:12:32. > :12:35.beautiful. I love it, it is one of the first things to go in, all quite
:12:36. > :12:39.light and wispy, and the planting team did an amazing job on that. And
:12:40. > :12:43.you sourced the stone from the Abbey? The stone from the Abbey is
:12:44. > :12:47.the same sort of stone that would have been used for Whitby Abbey, but
:12:48. > :12:53.we didn't actually take Whitby Abbey apart! I'm glad to hear it! It is
:12:54. > :12:56.very authentic, I can hear the seagulls in the background, you have
:12:57. > :13:00.a soundscape going on, I can smell the salt coming off the seaweed
:13:01. > :13:06.here. That has been drying in my greenhouse for a few weeks. It is as
:13:07. > :13:09.if I am there, the visitors will love your garden. I hope so. Lovely
:13:10. > :13:14.to meet you, and thank you for bringing it here. Thank you.
:13:15. > :13:17.Today, the red carpet has been rolled out for Her Majesty
:13:18. > :13:21.In celebration of the Royal visit, Carol Klein went to discover
:13:22. > :13:28.the regal plants holding court in the Great Pavilion.
:13:29. > :13:36.The Great Pavilion has plenty of oil subjects, whether it is because of
:13:37. > :13:42.their name or their colour. But amongst this sea of contenders for
:13:43. > :13:51.the throne, some plants have a Majesty all of their own.
:13:52. > :13:57.Haq, the trumpet to announce the entrance of the Royal Courts. These
:13:58. > :14:03.wonderful plants with their saturated colours are really
:14:04. > :14:08.straightforward to grow. Keep them frost free Jorinde Muller into, and
:14:09. > :14:15.don't water them at all, and then come spring, they will burst into
:14:16. > :14:20.growth. -- keep them frost free during the winter. Then they will
:14:21. > :14:25.fill the whole place with their glorious music.
:14:26. > :14:34.In the Royal Courts, surely the plant that lends itself to the role
:14:35. > :14:40.of footman is the delphinium. Tall, stately, often in lines, they really
:14:41. > :14:48.form the basis of the brilliant border.
:14:49. > :15:01.Every court needs its royal jester to keep the aristocracy entertained
:15:02. > :15:08.and bring a touch of frivolity to the proceedings. These little jester
:15:09. > :15:11.hats bring that. They are such reliable plants and so easy to grow,
:15:12. > :15:17.and the perfect solution if you have got dry shade bringing their dancing
:15:18. > :15:23.flowers to really liven up the proceedings.
:15:24. > :15:34.This stand is fit for a King. In fact, it is full of King's. The
:15:35. > :15:39.National plan of South Africa. It makes constant attention and if you
:15:40. > :15:49.want to grow it in this country, grow it under glass wall move to
:15:50. > :15:55.Cornwall and the Scilly Isles! We're in a Royal presence. The Queen of
:15:56. > :16:05.hearts is in attendance presiding over this lovely stand. It takes
:16:06. > :16:11.centre stage and is often known as bleeding hearts with its beautiful
:16:12. > :16:18.elegant delightful flowers. During the summer, it dies down. And if it
:16:19. > :16:21.does not, of its own accord, take a tape from the Queen of hearts. Off
:16:22. > :16:23.its head! This year, the RHS have teamed up
:16:24. > :16:27.with BBC Radio 2 to celebrate the station's 50th birthday
:16:28. > :16:28.Chelsea-style. 'The Feel Good Gardens'
:16:29. > :16:32.are designed to be the ultimate spaces in which to relax
:16:33. > :16:35.and indulge your senses. There are five designs, each based
:16:36. > :16:44.around one of the five senses. This is the Texture Garden,
:16:45. > :16:59.with its designer, Matt Keitley. Hello. Everything relates to touch?
:17:00. > :17:04.Absolutely right. And this was difficult because you can see what
:17:05. > :17:09.you are doing with side and you can smell fragrance, how did you
:17:10. > :17:14.approach this? The big challenge is the public cannot move through the
:17:15. > :17:19.space. So trying to create something that your way they want to move into
:17:20. > :17:22.it and to walk through it and to get that tactile experience across
:17:23. > :17:28.without touching it and going through it. That is very tricky to
:17:29. > :17:33.do that, and it is very nice coming in here but it is a shame the public
:17:34. > :17:35.cannot. This is one of the best parts and using this level change
:17:36. > :17:38.hopefully makes the space better. In fact, you have won
:17:39. > :17:51.the People's Choice award twice But there are no medals awarded. No,
:17:52. > :17:56.that element of the page is off at the time constraints Andy King
:17:57. > :18:01.challenge. We had eight weeks to design and prepare and get ready and
:18:02. > :18:07.to build the garden. Was that a liberation or panic? More towards
:18:08. > :18:11.liberating. There is something lovely about spontaneous creativity.
:18:12. > :18:16.That initial reaction to a brief and often the first idea is the best.
:18:17. > :18:24.What the public cannot do that I can, that is quite dense and
:18:25. > :18:31.prickly, pine, against delivery and shiny Stones and I want to touch
:18:32. > :18:37.them. And you have progresses. -- and you have the grass. You have the
:18:38. > :18:46.juxtaposition. How do we do that without being scratched? You can
:18:47. > :18:49.achieve it. We could swap the pine that is the idea with Chelsea, to
:18:50. > :18:55.push the boundaries and do something different and hopefully we have
:18:56. > :19:00.achieved that. Do you think a valuable element of touching our
:19:01. > :19:04.gardens? Absolutely. For myself and you and like-minded people about the
:19:05. > :19:10.gardens, you move into a space and you want to interact and these five
:19:11. > :19:16.are good gardens take that element to the extreme. And I hope we have
:19:17. > :19:20.done it. -- these 520 macro. And you have.
:19:21. > :19:22.The Great Pavilion houses some of the nation's favourite
:19:23. > :19:29.plants and alliums are up there with the best of them.
:19:30. > :19:31.Peter Warmenhoven has been exhibiting in the Great Pavilion
:19:32. > :19:33.for the past 29 years and was instrumental
:19:34. > :19:37.in making the allium a border favourite, loved by millions.
:19:38. > :19:49.Look at the allium, it is a sure-fire, it stand straighter and
:19:50. > :19:59.amazing colours. Amazing hats. We are close to Amsterdam. We have
:20:00. > :20:07.grown since 1885, it is a family company and we have 55 varieties of
:20:08. > :20:11.bulbs. It is 15,000 square metres where the bulbs get planted and we
:20:12. > :20:18.have around 8,000 square metres in the greenhouse. We have more than a
:20:19. > :20:25.million bulbs outside, on the field. Our business is maybe -- mainly set
:20:26. > :20:28.up for bulb growing but you see they start to flower and there is a
:20:29. > :20:34.market for the flowers so we sell the flowers to the auction. It is
:20:35. > :20:42.hard to follow them, they go all over the world, every country. These
:20:43. > :20:53.are mature bulbs, big bulbs and most flowers. You see the thickness of
:20:54. > :20:56.the stem. Like a well-drained soil. They do not like heavy clay, that is
:20:57. > :21:01.all the bulbs, not just the alliums. You plant them in the autumn and
:21:02. > :21:11.they need a cold period to produce the flower. I started mainly with
:21:12. > :21:17.the amorous, in 1985, I started to grow allium as well. I got one
:21:18. > :21:25.variety, purple sensation. We came to Hampton Court and the people were
:21:26. > :21:32.really keen on alliums and intimate Craig Ewers, I sold all my bulbs
:21:33. > :21:38.abroad and I phoned my wife, can you get bulbs? It is really crazy. I
:21:39. > :21:44.have been showing intro -- in Chelsea, this is my 29th year. I had
:21:45. > :21:49.my biggest success in 2013 and we were best in show. That is for a
:21:50. > :21:54.Dutch company, which was really amazing. We still enjoy that moment.
:21:55. > :22:03.This is my last Chelsea, being in charge. I went to hand it over to my
:22:04. > :22:09.son. I have learned from my dad. So I am confident of doing what I am
:22:10. > :22:15.doing. Most of the ecosystems, not to be in charge any more, he has to
:22:16. > :22:18.make the decisions. -- it is nice to be an assistant. He has to think,
:22:19. > :22:26.this is the right driver for the show and just enjoy it. From here,
:22:27. > :22:30.they going to the nursery, let me prepare them and they go into cold
:22:31. > :22:38.storage for another week because we use them for Chelsea next week. As
:22:39. > :22:42.soon as we cut the flowers, they go straight into cold storage, the
:22:43. > :22:45.quicker the better. The flowers, they can be there the following day
:22:46. > :22:51.already at customs or at the florist. We know when to cut them,
:22:52. > :22:57.to store them until the end of July. We will not give away all our
:22:58. > :23:03.secrets. They flower about three, four weeks. This is really a long
:23:04. > :23:12.time for a flower. A Chudley is just ten days, a week. That is why they
:23:13. > :23:19.are maybe so popular. Hopefully, it is going to make Chelsea. Not sure
:23:20. > :23:25.at the moment, no. We need another couple more days to get bigger and
:23:26. > :23:31.then they need a couple of days to open. I'm not sure. But that is
:23:32. > :23:35.nature. There is nothing we can do. We have tried it in the greenhouse,
:23:36. > :23:47.we try everything, you know what you are doing on it, but I do not
:23:48. > :23:52.believe it is going to make it. I am pretty proud of him. How he runs
:23:53. > :23:57.everything and how he does everything. Yes, it is always to
:23:58. > :24:01.look at it and you can learn a lot from him. And of course, you want to
:24:02. > :24:08.do it your own way but still, you always look back. Finally, it is
:24:09. > :24:16.merely end. But I do not want to be number one any more. I have donated
:24:17. > :24:21.more than 35 years. We have lovely children and lovely grandchildren
:24:22. > :24:26.and a lovely wife and I want to do a lot of things as well. I say goodbye
:24:27. > :24:34.to what I ever did and I have a good feeling about it.
:24:35. > :24:45.The alliums make it to the show, who was right? So you are right. And
:24:46. > :24:49.Nacho? I was not sure because I thought it was not going to make it.
:24:50. > :24:54.With all my experience, I thought, it is not going to make it. Is this
:24:55. > :24:59.a significant moment in the nursery's history? This is the
:25:00. > :25:05.moment to step back and let him go on because he was right and I was
:25:06. > :25:10.wrong after 29 years. I thought I knew and I had the experience. You
:25:11. > :25:15.have passed on that knowledge and experience. It is a beautiful plant.
:25:16. > :25:20.It is quite unusual and quite delicate compared to the bigger
:25:21. > :25:28.flowering plants. It is unusual and it is tall with a funny flower. You
:25:29. > :25:31.can say that. We have two say beautiful and delicate, you can say
:25:32. > :25:38.it is a funny flower because you grow thousands. Allium seem to be at
:25:39. > :25:44.a pig, they are so popular, everyone grows them. Have they reached a
:25:45. > :25:49.peak, can they go anywhere? No, they can go further, developing new
:25:50. > :25:54.varieties. Yes, you are right, but it will go on. Absolutely. So you
:25:55. > :25:59.will take this further and you will return to Chelsea and I hope you
:26:00. > :26:05.will return to Chelsea every year. Are you going to let him in to help
:26:06. > :26:12.out? Yes, he is always welcome to help me out and help me with details
:26:13. > :26:18.if I need something, I can always go back to him and ask for help. He has
:26:19. > :26:24.a little bit of experience! This be your last major 29th year, you hope
:26:25. > :26:29.for a big medal? I hope for a gold medal, yes. Fingers crossed, you
:26:30. > :26:31.never know. Fingers crossed for you both and the nursery in the future,
:26:32. > :26:33.lovely to meet you. Bulbs like alliums play an essential
:26:34. > :26:35.role in our gardens. Many of the plants we love
:26:36. > :26:38.the most are in fact bulbs. Here in the Great Pavilion,
:26:39. > :26:40.exhibitors showcase some Frances Tophill has been on the hunt
:26:41. > :27:05.to discover the best of these buried Bulbs are a vital part of our
:27:06. > :27:09.gardens throughout the growing season and Great Pavilion, we are
:27:10. > :27:16.spoiled for choice. Daffodils always held beginning of spring.
:27:17. > :27:20.Understand, there are around 70 different varieties containing
:27:21. > :27:25.25,000 different types and they are not all yellow trumpets, you can get
:27:26. > :27:32.pink ones and multiheaded runs and even very scented ones. So there
:27:33. > :27:53.really is no excuse not to grow them. Daffodil is a classic bulb but
:27:54. > :27:56.a coroner stores the same nutrient. Glad you like a little more
:27:57. > :28:07.complicated and they need protection from the frost. Gladioli flower 100
:28:08. > :28:19.days after planting seeds should plant some every week. But you will
:28:20. > :28:23.agree, they are worth it. Lilies make a wonderful addition to your
:28:24. > :28:28.garden or as cut flowers in your home and look at the colours, so
:28:29. > :28:34.beautiful. And they could not be easier to grow. They need a
:28:35. > :28:39.well-drained soil and some sunshine. Do not plant them too closely on the
:28:40. > :28:44.ground containers and two times the depth of the board. Look at that
:28:45. > :28:55.beautiful double flower and amazing stem and that is what they are all
:28:56. > :28:59.about. Incredible! If you are a lover of bulbs, it is not too late
:29:00. > :29:04.to plant something that will flower this year. This is a great example
:29:05. > :29:09.and they grow anywhere that is sunny and sheltered with very good
:29:10. > :29:12.drainage. Plant blubs slightly higher than the style and you will
:29:13. > :29:19.have perfection throughout the autumn. -- higher than the soil.
:29:20. > :29:22.Still to come from The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, an event
:29:23. > :29:25.supported by M Investment: Monty will be in conversation with the
:29:26. > :29:27.Absolutely Fabulous Joanna Lumley, who will be revealing how
:29:28. > :29:32.she discovered her passion for gardening.
:29:33. > :29:35.We'll discover how one designer's trek through the Canadian wilderness
:29:36. > :29:37.inspired one of Main Avenue's most challenging designs.
:29:38. > :29:38.And we'll be bringing you exclusive coverage,
:29:39. > :29:47.as Her Majesty The Queen tours this year's show.
:29:48. > :29:50.Whilst the Main Avenue show gardens often garner
:29:51. > :29:58.the greatest attention, for me, the smaller gardens are...
:29:59. > :30:03.All of the different types are just as interesting, both in the way that
:30:04. > :30:10.they use their plants and in the details of design. And this is a
:30:11. > :30:12.great example. It is only a very small footprint, but it is a
:30:13. > :30:18.combination of architecture and garden that I love. Upstairs we have
:30:19. > :30:24.a high-rise garden and lowdown here, a shady garden, but the views have
:30:25. > :30:28.been framed, the materials thought about and it feels like a cohesive
:30:29. > :30:35.design, great example of what you can do in your own space. Here we
:30:36. > :30:40.have nice crisp box hedging and then this really lush shady environment.
:30:41. > :30:43.These plants don't get much sun or rain, they will all be irrigated,
:30:44. > :30:52.but we still have this wonderful textural foliage of plants like tree
:30:53. > :30:55.ferns and changes and I really like this rusty metal trellis work that
:30:56. > :31:00.ties in with the detail on the steps as well. It just shows you that you
:31:01. > :31:06.can grow plants in the city in an urban environment. Plants should
:31:07. > :31:09.always come first. They should, but the way they work with the design
:31:10. > :31:14.should be seamless, and it does work here. I think this is one of those
:31:15. > :31:18.gardens that gets better and better every time you look at it. These are
:31:19. > :31:33.not the only small gardens. There is also the Artisan category.
:31:34. > :31:39.Yesterday we made a mistake saying that Juliet Sargeant had won, but
:31:40. > :31:50.she and fact won a gold medal, and today she has been to take a look at
:31:51. > :31:53.the Artisan Gardens. These gardens are an opportunity for the designers
:31:54. > :31:57.to really celebrate traditional skills of fine craftsmanship and to
:31:58. > :32:04.enjoy working with these beautiful materials. This is the poetry lovers
:32:05. > :32:09.garden, and the designer, Fiona Cadwallader, has created a beautiful
:32:10. > :32:14.tranquil space. I can hear the trickle of the waterfall. She has
:32:15. > :32:18.been quite brave in using stainless steel against the dry stonewalling,
:32:19. > :32:24.but I think it does work, and it is a celebration of craftsmanship. And
:32:25. > :32:30.I love the way that Fiona has created a really delicate palate of
:32:31. > :32:34.planting. The tones of the flowers are very muted, very subtle, and
:32:35. > :32:38.there is a lightness and airiness about the atmosphere of this
:32:39. > :32:48.planting. But my favourite plant is this one, the fritellaria, usually
:32:49. > :32:52.we expect those to be bright yellow or red, but this one is a dusty
:32:53. > :33:01.purple which creates an accent for the planting, but isn't too in your
:33:02. > :33:04.face, it is really subtle. Another Artisan Gardens celebrates the
:33:05. > :33:09.heritage and habitat of the Norfolk Broads. It was designed by Gary
:33:10. > :33:14.Breeze. The first thing that struck me about this garden was the
:33:15. > :33:19.beautiful tones of the wood. What is the project were bad? It's sort of
:33:20. > :33:28.tells a story from the tree to the sea. We have an oak tree and then
:33:29. > :33:32.oaks that have been taken to smaller and smaller pieces of wood until we
:33:33. > :33:35.have a boat under construction. Everything is made of natural
:33:36. > :33:40.materials, then you put that in a natural environment and it comes
:33:41. > :33:44.together. And it really transports us to the Norfolk Broads. I can
:33:45. > :33:49.imagine myself there at this moment with the sunshine in and the birds
:33:50. > :33:54.singing, all we need now is for a frog to hop into the water. Are
:33:55. > :34:00.there any particularly rare plants? We have water soldiers that are
:34:01. > :34:04.essential to a local dragonfly, and milk parsley which is where
:34:05. > :34:07.swallowtail butterflies lay their eggs, and they lay them nowhere
:34:08. > :34:15.else, so it is a full ecosystem here.
:34:16. > :34:17.One of the great joys of Chelsea is that the gardens,
:34:18. > :34:19.whatever their size, are awash with fresh ideas
:34:20. > :34:21.and innovative designer tricks to be discovered.
:34:22. > :34:28.But just how achievable are these ideas to recreate at home?
:34:29. > :34:30.Throughout the week, multi-gold-medal-winning garden
:34:31. > :34:32.designer Adam Frost will be revealing that it really is possible
:34:33. > :34:35.to create a little bit of Chelsea magic in your own garden.
:34:36. > :34:49.And tonight, he's focusing on how to make the most of your space.
:34:50. > :34:56.Gardens seem to be shrinking by the day, but that doesn't mean you can't
:34:57. > :35:00.have a beautiful garden. I think there are a load of ideas out there
:35:01. > :35:13.to make a small space feel a whole lot bigger.
:35:14. > :35:21.This really is a small garden. It is five metres by seven metres, and
:35:22. > :35:25.there is so much going on. You might look at it and think, I couldn't do
:35:26. > :35:30.that, and I'm not sure I could do some of the detail in the garden,
:35:31. > :35:35.but there are so many ideas in here, it could really help you make your
:35:36. > :35:39.space feel much bigger. In smaller gardens, we tend to forget that
:35:40. > :35:43.actually you have more space around the garden than we have on the
:35:44. > :35:48.surface, and we accept that we have a fence or wall, but if you think
:35:49. > :35:51.about those boundaries, as part of the design process, you can make the
:35:52. > :36:00.space feel bigger. And here, the back wall is sort of water wall
:36:01. > :36:04.meets green wall. If you imagine the sort of office at home, by lifting
:36:05. > :36:10.this building up and carrying the garden on straight under, the
:36:11. > :36:14.proportions are beautiful. There is a lovely beach tree sitting outside
:36:15. > :36:18.of this landscape, so imagine having a tree in a neighbour's garden,
:36:19. > :36:23.maybe using that colour of that tree or the leaf of it to bring it into
:36:24. > :36:28.your garden, and start to lose your boundaries, which makes your garden
:36:29. > :36:42.feel bigger. I think it is absolutely exquisite.
:36:43. > :36:47.Ultimately, this is really a hole in the ground, just a few steps down,
:36:48. > :36:53.some nice seating surrounded by planting. All of a sudden it changes
:36:54. > :36:58.the atmosphere totally, I am engaged with the garden and it feels
:36:59. > :37:01.comfortable. My eye is at the same level as the moving grasses, the
:37:02. > :37:08.flowers look beautiful, it is a similar thing to do. You imagine the
:37:09. > :37:11.path closer to the house starts wide, and as it comes out into the
:37:12. > :37:16.garden it gets thinner which makes the back wall feel much further
:37:17. > :37:20.away. Sometimes actually just being brave enough to use a large area of
:37:21. > :37:25.water in a small space can work really well. It is reflective and
:37:26. > :37:27.bounces light around the garden. But on top of that, it gives the garden
:37:28. > :37:41.space to breathe. What I really love about this space
:37:42. > :37:44.is it is really simple. If you think about it in plan form, it is a
:37:45. > :37:48.series of rectangles, and these beautiful slabs and change of level
:37:49. > :37:56.slow your movement into the space, bringing you up onto this big slab
:37:57. > :37:59.that cantilevers out over the water, and the water pushes the planting
:38:00. > :38:02.away leaving you with the feeling that you have this really lovely
:38:03. > :38:08.usable space. However small your garden is, there really are some
:38:09. > :38:15.ideas out there that can make the space feel so much bigger.
:38:16. > :38:23.For all its internationalism, Chelsea is quintessentially a
:38:24. > :38:33.British affair, and always brings the most famous faces, especially on
:38:34. > :38:36.the first day. Amongst them is possibly the most famous and most
:38:37. > :38:43.British of all, Joanna Lumley. Do often? I am lucky enough to come
:38:44. > :38:47.most years, and most years on Monday, and the first year I came, I
:38:48. > :38:52.was 18 and I was staying with my in Earls Court, and it was Friday and
:38:53. > :38:59.they sold off the plants, and I bought a lily that high in a pot,
:39:00. > :39:06.and I didn't realise I had to get it back to Earls Court, I got a lift in
:39:07. > :39:11.an ice cream van, and the fair he exacted from me was the case. But
:39:12. > :39:15.was the sixties! And are you a keen gardener? You wouldn't be buying
:39:16. > :39:18.plants if you were not. I am, we have a long thin garden in
:39:19. > :39:21.Stockwell, the kind of people who sold us that has made a quarter of a
:39:22. > :39:26.century ago had divided into three rooms. In the first bit, people
:39:27. > :39:31.think gosh, you have a garden, then you have another bit with fish ponds
:39:32. > :39:37.on the pear tree, and then you go down to the end with a walnut tree.
:39:38. > :39:41.And I just adore it because we pick our own pairs, apples, plums, we
:39:42. > :39:47.have got walnuts, but we have never managed to get one because the
:39:48. > :39:51.squirrels get their first! Figs, lemons, about two kilos of lemons.
:39:52. > :39:54.And do you keep them outside all winter? I don't even put stuff
:39:55. > :39:59.around on. I couldn't do that at home. But this is London, the heat
:40:00. > :40:03.of London. It is divine, I love it. I should add that it is what I call
:40:04. > :40:11.a wild garden, which is how I love it. Maybe a little bit too wild! And
:40:12. > :40:15.abandoned garden! And do you love it because of the way look is all
:40:16. > :40:19.because of the wildlife it attracts, what is it? I am very keen on
:40:20. > :40:24.wildlife, butterflies and insects and bees. I adore the Foxes, I
:40:25. > :40:30.whistle them in for supper, I have something for them. Sadly some of
:40:31. > :40:34.them have Mainge now, and the anywhere to stop that is to feed
:40:35. > :40:37.them good dog food, which I do. We have squirrels, they are adorably
:40:38. > :40:45.funny to watch, acrobats, lots of birds. So those are all important
:40:46. > :40:49.for me, and the rain is all-important, we love the sweet
:40:50. > :40:53.rain. That thing about weather, it is such an integral part of
:40:54. > :40:59.gardening. Rather than seeing it as an enemy, it is what it is. We were
:41:00. > :41:02.chatting earlier about having a little bit more time and a little
:41:03. > :41:07.bit more age, and one of the things I have learned is to brace the
:41:08. > :41:11.weather, not to see it as an enemy. And not the kind of predict how it
:41:12. > :41:15.ought to be, take what comes, and bring with you something so that you
:41:16. > :41:19.are not angry at cross. If you are going to be frozen, take something
:41:20. > :41:25.in your bag to wrap around you or take off. So what do you take from
:41:26. > :41:29.Chelsea? I just adore it here. I feel that if you didn't have a faith
:41:30. > :41:33.and you came to Chelsea and looked at what's here, you would end up
:41:34. > :41:39.believing in a new god, which is nature, the oldest god of all. Thank
:41:40. > :41:41.you very much indeed. Thank you. We do worship nature, but we also
:41:42. > :41:45.worship you, Joanna, too! Creating a show garden at Chelsea
:41:46. > :41:48.is a monumental task, even But if your garden represents
:41:49. > :41:51.the vast boreal forests and freshwater lakes of Canada,
:41:52. > :41:54.and it's your first large show garden, it becomes
:41:55. > :41:58.a challenge of epic proportion. We joined designer Charlotte
:41:59. > :42:20.Harris on her journey The boreal wilderness is vast and
:42:21. > :42:24.magnificent, and it would be impossible to bring that to a
:42:25. > :42:32.Chelsea show garden, so I have tried to create a garden inspired by it
:42:33. > :42:35.and that evokes it. The boreal is the largest intact ecosystem on
:42:36. > :42:41.earth. It stretches across the northern hemisphere, with one third
:42:42. > :42:47.of it in Canada. It accounts for 25% as the world's wetlands, acting as a
:42:48. > :42:51.huge global long. Last September I was lucky enough to travel to Canada
:42:52. > :42:55.and I recorded the adventure on my camera. But landing in Toronto was
:42:56. > :42:58.just the first step. I had to take another two hour flight further on
:42:59. > :43:05.before catching a float plane to the far north of Ontario.
:43:06. > :43:13.Flying low over the boreal is a memory that will stay with me for
:43:14. > :43:21.ever and has made this Chelsea Jenny spectacular.
:43:22. > :43:28.So we arrived yesterday by float plane to Lake Whitewater to strikers
:43:29. > :43:33.point, and today we are going to take these boats right across to
:43:34. > :43:39.best island, where we will go on an exploration looking at native flora
:43:40. > :43:43.for the boreal region. The lakes and waterways are so vast, traffic by
:43:44. > :43:47.boat is the only way to go. And it was on the island that has started
:43:48. > :43:53.to draw inspiration for the native flora and geology. My guide, Evelyn,
:43:54. > :44:01.grew up in this region and knows from her elders how to identify
:44:02. > :44:07.plants as food and medicine. So we are in this quite vast expanse of
:44:08. > :44:09.what is called Labrador tea, and as you walk through it you can smell
:44:10. > :44:21.it. It is a lovely smell. So wherever possible, I have tried
:44:22. > :44:28.to find Canadian natives that suit that habitat, so I have managed to
:44:29. > :44:32.find some Labrador tea. There was one specialist supplier in Europe,
:44:33. > :44:37.and I managed to track it down. I came last week and it was looking a
:44:38. > :44:40.bit dry and scrappy, but in the last week, it has really pushed an
:44:41. > :44:47.encouragingly, and the nursery have assured me but that by the time we
:44:48. > :44:53.get a Chelsea, it will have more growth. And here are the
:44:54. > :45:08.gooseberries! Look at those. What do the berries taste like? Try them.
:45:09. > :45:15.That is lovely. UC? They are sharp! I just love them. Are delicious.
:45:16. > :45:25.Evelyn and I found the Laburnum in the forest in Canada, and I couldn't
:45:26. > :45:31.source that anywhere over the past few months, so instead what I have
:45:32. > :45:35.done is to select this meadowsweet. It has lobed leaves as well, and it
:45:36. > :45:43.has the similar feel to the berries we saw in the forest.
:45:44. > :45:50.This afternoon, we have been paddling down the river through the
:45:51. > :45:55.boreal and we have found a bank of Iris. This is a Chelsea store what
:45:56. > :45:59.because they look fantastic in May and I had not thought about using
:46:00. > :46:08.them in the garden but that has given me food for thought. The
:46:09. > :46:16.spades on them! They are just coming through. What a relief! Iris has
:46:17. > :46:20.made the list, looking fantastic. And more exciting, we're starting to
:46:21. > :46:29.see the little buds coming up so crossed fingers they would be
:46:30. > :46:33.perfect for flowering for Chelsea. A bit of a Chelsea confession, I was
:46:34. > :46:38.not going to use Jack Pines in the garden, I was going to use large
:46:39. > :46:44.because they are native to the boreal, but I fell in love on the
:46:45. > :46:49.expedition with their character, they look a bit like old men to me.
:46:50. > :46:53.-- they fell in love with their character. It has been a really
:46:54. > :47:02.amazing and nerve-racking and anxious experience. The journey has
:47:03. > :47:08.been incredible. I felt that now was the time for me to step up as the
:47:09. > :47:10.lead designer in my own right and to take on the challenge of a Chelsea
:47:11. > :47:21.garden. Amazing trip. What a way to do
:47:22. > :47:24.research for a Chelsea garden! Yes, to kick off your first Chelsea
:47:25. > :47:31.garden, there is no better way than to be dropped in by a plane and to
:47:32. > :47:35.travel by Canute and an incredible and Wales and epic landscape. So
:47:36. > :47:40.many different ideas that it is hard to distil into a Show Garden. Yes, I
:47:41. > :47:45.did not want to be a wee creation, and wanted it to inspired because
:47:46. > :47:51.you cannot recreate the stale -- the scale of the landscape. These are
:47:52. > :47:59.fabulous. Yes, they are so beautiful and tactile, that is granite from
:48:00. > :48:03.Wales. And the plant. A great and shady ground cover. Yes, lovely
:48:04. > :48:08.plant and I saw it with us going through it but we have not been able
:48:09. > :48:15.to find those. You have had to adapt. I cannot remember the name of
:48:16. > :48:23.this. Labrador. Fantastic and aromatic. You can make tea with it
:48:24. > :48:30.and you can use it as a pastor for a small cut. Very handy, just in case!
:48:31. > :48:35.If I cut myself! I like the scale and destruction. These pounds, the
:48:36. > :48:40.character they bring, and you must have book, they are going to bring
:48:41. > :48:44.character. They are magnificent and when I started thinking about the
:48:45. > :48:49.Show Garden, I burst was going to put too March because that is
:48:50. > :48:55.archetypal but after that journey, I kept seeing these magnificent pines
:48:56. > :48:59.and I thought they were the ones. I can see why and the water is
:49:00. > :49:06.perfectly clear, the clearest here. Out of any of the gardens. We can
:49:07. > :49:09.paddle later! It was important to get that right because I wanted this
:49:10. > :49:14.idea of the pristine nature of fresh water to the garden. You have helped
:49:15. > :49:18.on a lot of gardens and I have seen you at the show many times you have
:49:19. > :49:23.bitten the bullet and you are The Boss! Have has that been, you make
:49:24. > :49:30.the decisions? Fantastic, there have been moments of doubt and worry in
:49:31. > :49:34.the middle of the night at about four o'clock. And the difference is
:49:35. > :49:38.I have worked on planting and you take one specific area, but you are
:49:39. > :49:42.responsible now for getting it right. You have built up the
:49:43. > :49:46.experience and created this fantastic garden, it is great to see
:49:47. > :49:55.you at Chelsea and on Main Avenue. Well done. Thank you.
:49:56. > :49:57.The event has become a barometer for future trends
:49:58. > :49:59.and signposts what we can expect from our own gardens
:50:00. > :50:05.Every show is different, with trains and challenges.
:50:06. > :50:08.To discuss what this year's show can tell us about the future,
:50:09. > :50:11.I'm joined by the Director General of the RHS, Sue Biggs.
:50:12. > :50:20.Hello. It is very nice to be here at Chelsea. It is really exciting. This
:50:21. > :50:24.year has had its own challenges, how has it been? It has had a couple of
:50:25. > :50:31.challenges, the climate for the growers. Incredible testament to
:50:32. > :50:35.their professionalism that they can go to the warmth and the frost in
:50:36. > :50:39.May and the rain we had in the build-up and still the best Pavilion
:50:40. > :50:44.and some of the best gardens we have had. That has been one set of
:50:45. > :50:50.challenges and we did have less gardens, it in the Artisan and in
:50:51. > :50:55.the Fresh Garden categories and in the Show Gardens, it is funny, out
:50:56. > :51:01.of adversity we get inspiration and we have new gardens this year, the
:51:02. > :51:05.Feel Good gardens which Radio 2 has been involved in. So good. The
:51:06. > :51:11.quality this year is high. It is a good show. You cannot avoid the fact
:51:12. > :51:15.and newspapers have been writing about it and people have been
:51:16. > :51:19.phoning me asking if I would do interviews about it, which I have
:51:20. > :51:24.not, there are noticeably fewer big gardens, why is that? I personally
:51:25. > :51:29.think it was everything to do with what happened in the country. Our
:51:30. > :51:33.Flower Show is part of what is happening in the country and when
:51:34. > :51:38.our Show Garden applications go out, it was just when the Brexit vote
:51:39. > :51:44.happened. I think it is completely understandable the chief executives
:51:45. > :51:47.thinking of sponsoring it would have thought maybe it is not the year to
:51:48. > :51:53.do it. It is a sponsorship issue rather than the design is not
:51:54. > :51:56.wanting to do it? Absolutely, yes. Is it potentially good that it takes
:51:57. > :52:02.the pressure and attention away from the Show Gardens onto the Pavilion?
:52:03. > :52:10.It is no bad thing we have got a change of emphasis. We should be so
:52:11. > :52:15.proud of our nurseries. It is achingly beautiful. And the small
:52:16. > :52:20.jewels, the Artisan and the Fresh Gardens. I hope I have another
:52:21. > :52:27.chance to torture you again, there have been recent polls on gardening
:52:28. > :52:31.in the UK. -- I have a chance to chat with you again. Not
:52:32. > :52:36.encouraging, in what people do know what to do and they are anxious. How
:52:37. > :52:44.can Chelsea encourage people? It is encouraging. It is strange, only 3%
:52:45. > :52:48.of people in our survey thought they were expert gardeners, I am not an
:52:49. > :52:51.expert but I love gardening and it does not matter. The fact people say
:52:52. > :52:56.they want to know more about horticulture is very encouraging and
:52:57. > :53:00.you help at Gardeners' World and Chelsea Flower Show, on our website
:53:01. > :53:06.with videos. I think the fact we now know those many people like
:53:07. > :53:10.gardening and horticulture, we need to give them the tools and it does
:53:11. > :53:14.not matter if you are not an expert. If you plant a plant, you are a
:53:15. > :53:18.gardener. That is a good way to finish, thank you very much and I
:53:19. > :53:21.look forward to spending a week at Chelsea! Fantastic, thank you!
:53:22. > :53:24.As well as hosting a myriad of famous faces and VIPs,
:53:25. > :53:27.Monday is also the day we welcome the most important visitor of them
:53:28. > :53:30.Earlier, Sophie Raworth was with the Royal party,
:53:31. > :53:47.The Queen has come to Chelsea man than 50 times over the years and it
:53:48. > :53:55.is always a very big moment at this Flower Show. The Queen is now
:53:56. > :54:00.talking to somebody who has been here 53 years and he keeps a
:54:01. > :54:04.scrapbook at home of the Royal visits and indications and members
:54:05. > :54:09.of the Royal family he has met over the years. You have probably been
:54:10. > :54:16.here as many times the green! I did not like to that, probably! -- as
:54:17. > :54:22.many times as the Queen. This is an exhibit the Queen knows very well,
:54:23. > :54:28.Raymond and his stunning clematis. The Queen is always very interested
:54:29. > :54:32.in it and it is a great thrill. Ian Price is from Belfast and his garden
:54:33. > :54:39.is a representation of his struggle with depression and the Duchess of
:54:40. > :54:42.Cambridge is keen to see it. You were showing her around the garden,
:54:43. > :54:46.how did she find it? She said it did feel completely different from the
:54:47. > :54:51.outside looking in to when she went inside. She was excited to go inside
:54:52. > :54:57.the garden and experience that directly. That is what this garden
:54:58. > :55:05.is about, feeling. What a day for you! It has been fantastic. The Duke
:55:06. > :55:10.of Edinburgh is a regular at Chelsea and he has been so many times over
:55:11. > :55:13.the decades and now he has announced he will step down from his Royal
:55:14. > :55:21.duties after the summer, who knows whether he will return again!
:55:22. > :55:27.You had a Royal chat! It was amazing, I loved it. I'm the Queen
:55:28. > :55:33.was very interested. She said she had listened to you this morning. I
:55:34. > :55:36.said, really? Radio 2, because it was the Chelsea Flower Show. Well
:55:37. > :55:43.done with the garden. Thank you so much. Well, I will be listening to
:55:44. > :55:47.Miro, with the green. OK! -- tomorrow.
:55:48. > :55:56.Very nice to see the Queen and the Royal family and younger members.
:55:57. > :56:02.Anyone gardening Royal or not, is good news. Nobody will have known
:56:03. > :56:06.about the medals unless somebody has told the Queen, what you think we
:56:07. > :56:10.will see tomorrow, the gold medals? It tough this year with eight large
:56:11. > :56:18.show gardens and they will not be handing them out. Four gold medals,
:56:19. > :56:23.probably three. James Basson, Chris Beardshaw with a gold medal. And
:56:24. > :56:30.Darren Hawkes with Maggie's garden is probably a gold medal. And it
:56:31. > :56:33.would not surprise me if Breaking Ground got one, it is very
:56:34. > :56:39.impressive when you get on it. At the other end? Welcome to Yorkshire
:56:40. > :56:43.is tricky and it would work better as an Artisan Garden, it takes over
:56:44. > :56:49.a large space, it is a concept garden. Bronze and maybe Silver.
:56:50. > :56:53.That sounds mean. A number of gardens here, they are in the
:56:54. > :56:59.silver-gilt category and if there were more, ten, 15 gardens, they
:57:00. > :57:06.would not hold their own against more gold medals. Interesting to see
:57:07. > :57:17.if they get elevated. Best in Show? Quickly. Chris Beardshaw. James
:57:18. > :57:24.Basson. Good, we have a good script. We have questions. Nadia would like
:57:25. > :57:29.to know the strangest combination of colours that we have seen on the
:57:30. > :57:38.gardens this year. Easy, one shrieks out, it is wonderful blue and pink
:57:39. > :57:42.rhododendron and the two together, they are a horror story on the Silk
:57:43. > :57:50.Road garden! You are feeling mean! On a positive note, a blue jeans
:57:51. > :57:54.Orange and burgundy and blue and purple, Sarah Reagan showed you how
:57:55. > :57:59.to put that together with a lot of green to grow it together. David
:58:00. > :58:04.wants to know how designers are selected to create gardens at the
:58:05. > :58:08.show. Briefly, it is a long process and you know better than anybody.
:58:09. > :58:11.They have to have a good team and a sponsor and a good landscaping
:58:12. > :58:14.company and there is a strict adjudication process and you have to
:58:15. > :58:16.show you can deliver. You have shown that!
:58:17. > :58:19.It's been an exciting first day here at the Chelsea Flower Show,
:58:20. > :58:22.but I'm afraid that's all we have time for this evening.
:58:23. > :58:25.Join us back here on BBC2 tomorrow night at the same time,
:58:26. > :58:28.when we will be revealing who has won the most coveted prize of all -
:58:29. > :58:33.Nicki Chapman and James Wong will be back tomorrow at 3:45 on BBC 1
:58:34. > :58:38.to share the excitement of the medal announcements.