Ö÷²¥´óÐã

TV and Radio  permalink

CHELSEA

• Message 1. 

  Posted by pattiuk56 (U14552074) on Thursday, 26th May 2011

  I don't think Chelsea can call its self a 'garden 'show' any more it seems to me its all about one upmanship who can spend the most and look like a disused garden or rubbish tip .Is it me ? where have the ordinary gardens that most of us own gone ,don't get me wrong i love the flowers and presenters but don't you think far too much money is being spent by people who have no real interest in the grass roots of gardening

  Link to this forum: CHELSEA

  Report message1

• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by quitedutchbrit (U10671966) on Thursday, 26th May 2011

  
  
  
  I too love the flowers and the gardens - altho some are a bit outlandish and more about showmanship than anything else. But if you love plants and enjoy the colours and forms and so on then Ö÷²¥´óÐã's Chelsea coverage is really great!
  But unlike pattiuk I don't like all the presenters at all. In particular Nicki Chapman who is so corsetted and stiffly poured into her clothes she couldn't possibly bend to smell a flower and seems to know not very much about plants at all. She is a very poor choice of presenter when there are so many other people around who would be a pleasure to watch - and listen to. Her nasal twang is also a pain to the ears.
  Every year there a comments about the presenters and this is one that really shouldn't be there. IMHO.

  Link to this forum: CHELSEA

  Report message2

• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by the cycling gardener (U2350416) on Thursday, 26th May 2011

  I don't think Chelsea can call its self a 'garden 'show' any more it seems to me its all about one upmanship who can spend the most and look like a disused garden or rubbish tip .Is it me ? where have the ordinary gardens that most of us own gone ,don't get me wrong i love the flowers and presenters but don't you think far too much money is being spent by people who have no real interest in the grass roots of gardening  
  
  Yes its you. If rubbish tips looked like this I'd have the council refuse site next door any day! Do you really expect the world's greatest flower show to showcase ordinary gardens? Who would visit?
  
  Do I think too much money is being spent by people with no real interest in the grass roots of gardening? No. The RHS Chelsea Flower Show needs to spend money to make money and lets not forget, money for show gardens comes from sponsorship. I can understand how it is difficult to resolve the sums spent on show gardens but look at the publicity the sponsorship brings to their multinational sponsors. The show is reported round the world, watched by millions on television and visited by hundreds of thousands. In terms of raising company profile, for a couple of hundred thousand pounds that's a pretty good return on investment I reckon.
  
  In turn it means designers have the funds to produce the gold standard in design , to truly showcase their abilities and raise their own profile. As an aside I admit there must be a downsides for the designer, namely the restrictions applied by the sponsor in the brief, the expectations of the RHS and its judges which must muzzle the designers as they work to a protocol to be sure of obtaining a medal so the resulting designs aren't truly "cutting edge" (a term banded about by the gardening media but that's a whole other debate) and the inevitable round of glad handing the company bigwigs on the garden at the show with the ubiquitous bottle of Champagne (it amazes me how unimaginative they all are - an excellent bottle of chilled still white would be so much better).
  
  Most important of all there's the benefit all this brings to the RHS and its work promoting gardening. Running the best flower show in the world with the best designers showing their gardens and nurserymen showing their best plants to the highest standard creates interest which attracts membership and fees thus enabling the Society to continue its vital work benefiting the gardening community as a whole - right down to the grass roots.

  Link to this forum: CHELSEA

  Report message3

• Message 4

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by thedogcody (U14659366) on Thursday, 26th May 2011

  It is not supposed to be a "garden show"- it is an opportunity for growers and designers etc to showcase their product to a world stage-you have to qualify to exhibit and I suppose it is the "Crufts" of the garden world.
  Chelsea is for the people who have reached the top of their profession and should be applauded as such - it is for us to pick over the bones and pick out the bits we like in our gardens.
  It is what it is.
  

  Link to this forum: CHELSEA

  Report message4

• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by Colin (U2252951) on Thursday, 26th May 2011

  I see all the 'trendy' green garden designers have 'bee boxes' and insect structures in the walls of the show gardens.
  
  What happens to insects which actually find and use these during the show - I suppose they join everything else in the skip on Monday

  Link to this forum: CHELSEA

  Report message5

• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by cufcskim (U14483815) on Thursday, 26th May 2011

  Very little ends up in a skip after Chelsea, it's re-sited, sold on or recycled.
  The amount of waste is being reduced year on year too.

  Link to this forum: CHELSEA

  Report message6

• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by Obelixx (U2157162) on Thursday, 26th May 2011

  As mentioned, it is called the Chelsea Flower Show and it is there to showcase excellence in all things horticultural. Look again at the gardens, big and small, and see beyond the money spent on hard landscaping materials to the sublime use of plants. Anyone can take away a planting scheme, a colour scheme, a foliage scheme from one or more of these gardens and translate it into their own garden.
  
  The artisan and chic gardens measure 7m x 4m and show just what can be achieved in a small space with a little imagination. In the floral marquee there are some stunning displays of plants by some of the best nurserymen and women in the world.
  
  In the product stands you can buy a packet of seeds for £1.99 - not beyond the reach of many people; gardening gloves - 3 pairs for £10 seems a bargain to me; obelisks (from £20) and statues and other garden ornaments from £4 to £40,000, garden sheds, gazebos, lawn mowers, mugs, hats, paintings, water features small and grand.
  
  What'snot to like?

  Link to this forum: CHELSEA

  Report message7

• Message 8

  , in reply to message 7.

  Posted by Pumpkin_Patch_Paul (U14565900) on Thursday, 26th May 2011

  I think as a country we should be proud of the Chelsea show I am sure other countrys would love to have it.
  
  
  PPP

  Link to this forum: CHELSEA

  Report message8

• Message 9

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Country Boy (U2497477) on Friday, 27th May 2011

  I went to my first Chelsea yesterday (Thursday, a public day) and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
  The Show gardens were wonderful. It's difficult to pick any out, but I really liked Cleve West's garden and the Robert Myers' Cancer Research garden. In the Urban gardens I thought the planting in the RNIB garden was very effective. And the Artisan gardens were all charming.
  
  Yes, the show gardens are very grand and you couldn't transplant them into your own garden - well not into my garden anyway - but apart from just enjoying their visual impact, all of them had plants, planting schemes and design techniques which made me think.
  I certainly came back with ideas that shall try out.
  
  And again in the Great Pavilion there were so many wonderful plants and trees, and planting combinations (the Hillier's stand was fantastic) that you it made me want to rush back to my garden and start planting.
  
  As for it being crowded.
  We arrived at 8.05 and we could wander around talking to exhibitors who had time to chat. We had uninterrupted views of all the gardens - apart from the odd TV crew. It started to get busy towards lunchtime and by 2 pm it was became too crowded for me, but by that time we had spent 6 hours at the show and my mind and body had about as much as they could take.
  I could happily spend another day at the show.
  
  And I have plant lists, planting schemes and other handouts which will keep me quiet until Tatton.
  
  
  
  CB
  
  PS The loos were good.

  Link to this forum: CHELSEA

  Report message9

• Message 10

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by chloedavis13 (U14811508) on Friday, 27th May 2011

  I totally agree about Nicki- so primped and perfect with her perfect hair/shoes/nails/clothes. Can't see her doing much gardening or getting her hands mucky! She would be perfect on a fashion/interior design show but not for gardening. She made the word heuchera sound like someone who should be stood on a street corner on todays programme- will say no more!

  Link to this forum: CHELSEA

  Report message10

• Message 11

  , in reply to message 10.

  Posted by darren p (U8518743) on Friday, 27th May 2011

  well , the best in show award is a total farce. this years winner is a massive joke, in my opinion at least. on the upside, the sponsorship money does travel to many skilled artists, metalworkers plant growers, painters etc etc. and i do like good quality , hand made things.

  Link to this forum: CHELSEA

  Report message11

• Message 12

  , in reply to message 10.

  Posted by Colin (U2252951) on Saturday, 28th May 2011

  Nicki Chapman is a sort of posh Anthea Turner.

  Link to this forum: CHELSEA

  Report message12

• Message 13

  , in reply to message 12.

  Posted by welshcol (U2301689) on Saturday, 28th May 2011

  Since we are making personal presenter comments was intrigued that AT seems to get greyer as the week went on.He was initially as black as his bespoke suit on Sunday 22nd but by Friday 27th he was looking decidedly grey. The worry of the double act with Joe I wonder.
  More seriously thought format and content very good, a bit laboured in parts and IMHO Christine can do no wrong-real enthusiasm.

  Link to this forum: CHELSEA

  Report message13

• Message 14

  , in reply to message 13.

  All this user's posts have been removed.

Back to top