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Chelsea Flower Show, London |
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Written by MrFiveStar, Ron Crider
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 May 22, 2008 I found myself mesmerized beyond belief at the grandeur of the thousands of plants, flowers, and gardens on display at the annual Chelsea Flower Show in London.
Who would believe MrFiveStar at a flower show? Well, there I was in the thick of it, and what a glorious event it was. This is definitely something you should see in your lifetime, if only once. The Chelsea Flower Show is the most celebrated event of its type in the world. I was in London doing a piece on the Goring Hotel; St. Pancras train station and the EuroStar train. As it happened, just by luck the Goring Hotel was offering a Flower Show special. The Hotel staff insisted it was something I shouldn’t miss. “Sir, you certainly aren’t going to miss the most important event in May are you?” With that they whisked me off in a special car for a short ride to the Royal Hospital grounds near the Thames River, about one mile from the hotel. The weather was perfect about 68 degrees with a light breeze.
The show was originally called the 'Royal Horticultural Society's Great Spring Show', first held in 1862, at the RHS garden in Kensington. In 1888 when that garden was closed the RHS found itself without a site in central London at which to hold the show. It was then moved to Temple Gardens near the Embankment, where it was held under canvas until 1911.
In 1912, the Temple Show was cancelled to make way for the Royal International Horticultural Exhibition. Sir Harry Veitch, the great nurseryman, secured the grounds of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, for this one-off event. It proved such a good site for an exhibition that the Great Spring Show was moved there in 1913, where it has taken place almost every year since.
Despite the First World War, the show was held 1914 – 1916, but was cancelled in 1917 and 1918.
By the roaring 1920s, the Chelsea Flower Show was back in full swing, the famous Chelsea tea parties were established and Royal visits resumed.
In 1926 the show was held a week late due to the General Strike.
In 1937, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth celebrated their Coronation Year, and to mark the occasion, a superb Empire Exhibition was staged. It featured wattles from Australia, pines from Canada, brilliant gladioli from East Africa and even a big prickly pear from Palestine.
The show was cancelled during the Second World War, as the land was required by the War Office for an anti-aircraft site. Some doubt arose as to whether the show would resume in 1947. The majority of exhibitors wanted a postponement, as stocks of plants were low, staff much depleted and fuel for greenhouses was obtainable only with special permits, but Lord Aberconway (then RHS President) and the RHS Council felt strongly that the show should resume as soon as possible. As it turned out, the show went ahead in 1947 and it was a great success.
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 was sufficient cause for a flower show that reflected the celebratory mood of the country. Most members of the Royal family attended that year. Unfortunately, due to a relentless stream of other commitments, the only Royal unable to attend was the Queen herself.
The Chelsea Flower Show today: The Chelsea Flower Show receives a lot of publicity. It is attended by 157,000 visitors each year (a number limited by the capacity of the 11 acre ground), and all tickets must be purchased in advance. From 2005 the show was increased from four days to five, with the first two days only open to RHS members. The show is extensively covered on television by the BBC. An official DVD of the show is produced on behalf of the RHS by Twofour. Several members of the British Royal Family attend a preview of the show, as part of the royal patronage of the RHS. The area of land devoted to show gardens increased steadily between 1970 and 2000 and the show has become an important venue for watching trends. New plants are often launched at the show and the popularity of older varieties revived under the focus of the horticultural world. It is the garden design equivalent of a catwalk at a fashion show.
Here are some excellent links for the Chelsea Flower Show: Chelsea Flower Show. HRS Gardening, London Telegraph. Rock City Gardens Clients click here to see a photo album for this year's Chelsea Floewer Show.
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