Pie-eyed and gap-jawed, I gazed around the Great Pavilion at the annual Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show, the garden equivalent of Paris Fashion Week. The annual event, set on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea since 1913, comprises visionary show gardens and hundreds of extravagant trade exhibits sprawling over 23 acres. The gardening bellwether highlights emerging trends and themes, showcasing new plants and shining a light on forgotten ones.
Inhaling the floral-scented air, I jostled with crowds viewing the over-the-top displays: Vikings, orangutans, dresses made of flowers, a tea service in a rose garden, an extravagant Thai heritage display complete with temples, and a recreation of a Cape Cod seashore scene. You won’t find any garden gnomes — they’re banned — but a lavender-bud Blues Brother shared a booth with a seashell dinosaur and a gorilla made from rose petals. Each of the show gardens is built from scratch in just 19 days, an amazing feat in itself.
Each year, more than 160,000 visitors attend the Chelsea Flower Show, each eager to glean ideas to implement at home. Even the Queen considers it a must; she’s attended all but 12 shows during her reign.
Tickets for the 2015 Chelsea Flower Show go on sale to the public Dec. 1, 2014. Public dates are May 22–24, 2015. The Royal Horticultural Society partners with Collette Tours, offering a program that includes the Chelsea Flower Show along with admission to select London-area RHS gardens.
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