Thursday, May 26, 2016

Chelsea Flower Show In London



In May of 1981, I saw London for the first time. You can not imagine how it looked to me through my small-town Georgia eyes. ( My sister Jan and I had saved our money for years and after writing to my English pen friend since 1974, we were both excited to have someone to show us around!) Since we were going in May, Jan had high hopes to see the Chelsea Flower Show.  We had no idea how popular it was and that you had to get tickets in advance. (Not even sure I could have afforded them anyway then or now. Oh well!)  Luckily, thanks to the internet, I can enjoy the Chelsea Flower Show from the BBC!









I hope you will be able to see the videos  that I have for you. (I have the link to the flower show gardens above also.) My British friends will have seen all of this already, I am sure!
I was very taken with the garden that will be transported to Great Ormond Hospital.  There is a sculpture of a child with the face turned upwards and the structure above is designed so that light will fall upon the face at 10:20am in the summer.  (Hey, that is what it said!)  I am thankful to Great Ormond Street Hospital.  Richard spent a great deal of time there as a child and the care that he received there most certainly saved his life. 





Honestly though, I enjoy flowers wherever I am... I might not ever see the gardens at The Chelsea Flower Show but that is okay with me.  

        I enjoy the English gardens I am able to visit. (And any of the wildflowers at the local monadnocks also!)
Kay...could you put your hand on the railing in an awkward way? Yeah, like that!






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38 comments:

  1. I've been watching the show on TV here every night. Very diverse mix of gardens. Like the displays and the flowers but the crowds of slowly shuffling people and the constant chatter would put me off in person. Much better on TV or video seeing the highlights.

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    1. My in-laws have been watching it every night too! I wonder why they don't let us poor Americans enjoy it. Ah well, maybe one day! :-)

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  2. Gardens make me wonder how people can grow such things! Love the gardens you have pictured here.

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    1. I love to gaze upon gardens. I am afraid that I enjoy the work of others!

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  3. I have nothing to say except... beautiful.

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  4. Sigh... I feel like we now need to get back to England to see that gorgeous garden. Wow!

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    1. Yes, let's meet up in London, that would be great!

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  5. It must have been very exciting indeed, visiting London after having saved up for a long time for it! I've not been to London since 2008, when my sister and I spent a few days there for her 40th birthday. Now it's always Yorkshire for me when I am in England :-)
    Beautiful gardens and parks are something I greatly enjoy, too. I admire the work that goes in, and how nature has a way of doing its own thing, regardless of what the gardener has planned.

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    1. When I am in England, it is to Eastbourne! (Sometimes London.)
      Yes, sometimes plants have a mind of their own and you have to find where they want to be "happy' and let them thrive!

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  6. A garden is a lovely thing God what?

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  7. The Chelsea Flower Show is always beautiful. You can just grow your own beautiful flowers and have a flower show all your own.

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    1. My dream is that I will win the lottery and create gardens that will rival Kew Gardens!

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  8. You look lovely in that photo, and, yes, I love colorful flowers, too.

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    1. Thanks, Gigi. I am a bit crazy about flowers but I guess you knew that already! :-)

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  9. Beautiful photos and videos. Thank you so much for sharing. :)

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    1. Hey Linda, enjoy flowers everywhere I say!

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  10. I've been to the Hampton Court flower show which isn't as hard to get tickets for as Chelsea. I just love all those garden designs, representing such interesting things. One day I must try to get to Chelsea.

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    1. Not likely I will be in London during the Spring again. Guess I should have tried tried harder in 1981! Oh well! :-)
      Hope you get to Chelsea and write a post about it.

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  11. I love flowers and I love visiting gardens that are wild or belong to real houses or perhaps grand buildings but I've never had a desire to go to a flower show as such.

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    1. I would be happy to see the Chelsea Flower Show on TV like you get to do over there! That last photo that I have is from Bexhill, from the garden of Joy & Henry!

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  12. I am going to look at those videos in a minute. I think that is a GREAT picture of you and not awkward looking at all. You are just a LOVELY lady. I love any and all kinds of flowers...from the humble daisy to the most exquisite rose. I have not had real gardens in about 10 years...when we moved here. The property is large so I have gardened along the edges but not filled the yard-hubby likes it open so it doesn't distract from the water view. When we move you can bet your boots I am going to have roses and flowers again.
    Hope you and your family have a lovely Memorial Day weekend. xo Diana

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    1. Diana, you are sweeter than PIE! I am with you on the flowers, I really do love them all too. Wishing you a lovely Memorial Day Weekend too, you and your great family. xx

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  13. I also love to look at flowers and landscapes. They all bring a song to my heart. So thank you, Kay! This was great, and you are not awkward!

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    1. My friend, I am most certainly the most awkward person you will ever meet! That's okay though since God gave me a great sense of humor besides being GORGEOUS! HA HA! I know you love the flowers too!

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  14. I should say looking at beautiful landscapes is a joy! Not all. For instance a blighted urban landscape with ugly graffiti does not bring joy! But most landscapes and gardens ARE beautiful. The world is better than it gets credit for being.

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  15. Great photos, Kay.

    Australia every year enters the Chelsea Flower Show and we do quite well with our displays, too. I've not seen the Chelsea personally...only via TV...and it always looks superb.

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    1. Wait, you get to see it on TV too? I should have known! Australia must get a lot more of the British coverage than we do in the States!
      And guess what, I think I took a good many of these photos! (Except the one with me, of course!) Our son took the London photo, the one that I have as a header just now. I love that one!

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  16. Lovely photos. I've been once to the Chelsea Flower Show - it is an experience to remember.
    Amalia
    xo

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  17. I would love to go to the Chelsea Flower Shower, i read Battle Axe's account and I still want to go.

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    1. At least I have seen the bluebells in england! It was only the one time but it was magical.

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    2. At least I have seen the bluebells in england! It was only the one time but it was magical.

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  18. Thanks for that video of the poppies and the Queen!

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