Chelsea Flower Show 2016

I had the privilege of attending the Chelsea Flower Show again this year. I made my way back "to that lovely garden" as Alice in Wonderland suggested. As with last year,  I was a dazzled with the beauty, creativity and enthusiasm for gardening that is so prevalent in England.  We went in the afternoon of the second to last day so it was very crowded with garden enthusiast from all over the world. For some reason, I didn't mind the crowds.  It's a bit like not minding the audience at a concert.  We were all there to marvel at the beauty and creative endeavors of England's rock star gardeners.

I wasn't able to photograph all of the gardens, due to the crowds.  If you want to see more, here's a link the the RHS site that lists all the winners along with spectacular photos of each garden:  

Winners of the Chelsea Flower Show 2016  

This garden was brilliant.  It was the President's Award winner.  It shows that you can create a gorgeous garden anywhere, even above a garage.  

The Brewin Dolphin Garden

                       

These brown colored irises where stunning and were actually seen repeatedly among the various gardens.  They were the flower of the year, or so it seemed.  

This was one of my favorites.  The garden was a celebration of the beauty to be found in the mathematics and algorithms that underpin all plants, growth and life. It won a silver-guilt medal.  

The theme of this year's show championed the benefits of greening-up the grey spaces as part of the Greening Grey Britain campaign. 

This was the People's Choice winner: "A Garden for Yorkshire" showcased the county's wealth of stunning scenery, iconic heritage, deep-rooted industries and skilled tradespeople.

This exhibit was another favorite of mine.  It is a breathtaking tribute made of nearly 300,000 handmade crocheted poppies that were beautifully handmade as a tribute to those who served in all wars, creating a thread of connection to servicemen and women in the armed forces. It was designed by Phillip Johnson, who won Best Show Garden in 2013. Each of the hand-knitted and crocheted flowers was individually crafted by people from a range of cultures, and communities and ages, from two to 102 years old. 

This is a gold medal winner. The Morgan Stanley Garden for Great Ormond Street Hospital has been designed to feature at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, before it is sited at its permanent home at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

The Great Pavilion has more than 100 specialist plant breeders, nurseries and societies that have created breath-taking floral exhibits with plants at the peak of perfection. This is a bed of lavender that smelled heavenly.  

I thought these were solid sculptures with perhaps an iron rod holding the rocks together until I watch the "Rock Balancer" balance a large stone on top of another large stone and create yet another totally free standing "sculpture". I have no idea how he does it but it amazing to watch.  

Part of the fun of the Chelsea Flower Show are the vendors, the food, and the performances.  For me the most fun is seeing the amazing creativity in the gardens, the displays, the performances, and the inspiration that just permeates the whole garden show.   It is also amazing to see how beloved gardening is here in England. There is a live television show that airs each evening during the week of the Chelsea Flower Show that highlights the gardeners, their inspiration and experience, and turns them in to media stars, at least for this week.  I have a whole new respect for gardens and gardeners, thanks to the Chelsea Flower Show.  

Stourhead

I love the National Trust.  They preserve and make accessible so many extraordinary buildings and landscapes throughout the England.  I keep discovering new favorites and this past week discovered a magnificent National Trust  property called Stourhead. 

Stourhead is best known for it's Capability Brown landscaping and garden on a 2650 acre site together with a delightful Palladian style country house. There are numerous garden paths that meander around the lakes, ponds and collection of trees and bushes making it a delightful place to wander and explore, even in the rain. 

The Stourton family lived on the estate for 500 years until they sold it to Sir Thomas Meres in 1714.  His son, John Meres, sold it to Henry Hoare I, son of wealthy banker.  The original manor was demolished and a new house.  Over the next 200 years the Hoare family collected many heirlooms, including a large library and art collection which is on display in the house.  In 1902 the house was gutted by fire but many of the heirlooms were saved, and the house was rebuilt in a near identical style.

The last Hoare family member to own the property, Henry Hugh Arthur Hoare, gave the house and gardens to the National Trust in 1946, one year before his and his wife's death.  (They died on the same day of natural causes!)  Their sole heir and son, Captain "Harry" Hoare, died in 1917 serving in the Queen's on Dorset Yeomanry in World War I.  There is a lovely story trail through the gardens that tell the story of "Harry"and what it was like to grow up in this bit of paradise. 

The Stable Yard

The Temple of Apollo

The view from the Grotto

The Palladian Bridge

The Pantheon

The Grotto

For more information:

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stourhead/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stourhead