The gold medal winning show gardens were typically a blend of classic and natural elements. Clipped beech, hornbeams, yews and boxwoods took their place as hedges and topiary. Water features tended to be clean and modern in design. Plantings were naturalistic, a seemingly random mix of perennials and wild flowers.
The winning designers of the show gardens employed a narrow palette of colors and natural materials – nothing loud or glitzy. The limited number of colors included pink, blue, purple and white, for example, or copper, burgundy, green and white for another example. The designers typically controlled the variety of plants as well as use of color. We did not see drifts of color, but the random planting of restricted genera within a tight color range.
Among the often used perennials were globe alliums, aquilegias (columbine), astrantia, geums, hardy geraniums, bearded iris, oriental poppies, foxglove and numerous varieties of euphorbia. Designers mixed native wildflowers with herbaceous perennials to create lovely borders.
Although plants were placed randomly, the controlled use of color and genera created harmonious gardens that could be seen to reference wildflower meadows.
Simultaneous to the Chelsea Show native wild flowers bloomed all over the British countryside north into Scotland. Hedges and stonework are ever-present marking fields, defining property lines and providing residential privacy. Accordingly clipped hedges, wild flowers and stonework gave most of the show gardens a strong sense of place along with a conservationist message.
The countryside in Great Britain, just as in the U.S., is suffering the consequences from the weed killers, insecticides and fertilizers that have been used in residential gardens and farming. Real estate development too has taken a heavy toll on the natural environment. In response the gardening community is leading a wild flower renaissance. At the show, industry professionals featured plant selections that favor bees and wildlife. The gardens reflected an effort to preserve wildflowers and conserve the wildflower meadow.
The Artisan Gardens were full with wildflowers, herbs, overgrown grass and, yes, weeds. (I heard more than one backyard gardener in the crowd voice a feeling of absolution for his or her own weeds as they viewed the small gardens.) Gravel paths pointed up the use of porous materials. The theme among small gardens theme was sustainability and conservationist, focusing on native and drought tolerant plant material, water saving ideas and living in harmony with nature.
I fell in love with a lovely meadow flower with long red – stems and delicate open white flower heads. Commonly called cow parsley or wild chervil, unfortunately, it turned out to be Queen Anne’s lace, an invasive on our federal noxious plant list.
On a happier note, as tribute to my Chelsea visit I can plant purple globe alliums to pop up randomly in my own garden as they did in many Chelsea gardens.
I still need to ponder the exquisite bronze colored bearded irises that showed up so stunningly planted against dense green foliage.
As with any major event the media provides a more complete view than an individual can manage when actually attending the show. Still, the in person experience generates excitement and indelible images media pictures cannot create.
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