Chelsea Flower Show 2011

This addition to my blog is well overdue thanks to a roller coaster of a year which has included both parents being diagnosed with serious illnesses within the space of a few weeks apart, then having a three month deadline to move out of our temporary rented house. This meant selling our house in the north east and buying a house in the midlands in order to settle in the village where our daughter has started school. Amazingly we achieved this within the deadline, (no mean feat!) although this has involved moving into a house which required complete renovation. This is still ongoing around our work but despite all the upheaval we are really happy to have a home in a lovely village and are grateful for all the small things. My parents good health is something we are all hoping for and means more than anything.

So forgive the belated thank you but I would like to say a heartfelt, if very late thank you to everyone who made my second year at the Chelsea Flower Show a really memorable one.

With my love of beautiful gardens, trees and plants Chelsea is a really exciting environment to be in surrounded by the creativity of designers and plantsmen and women all at the top of their game. You couldn't be in a better place to see such a large collection in such a relatively small space.

If anyone who was there spotted it, my favourite tree this year had to be the carob tree on the Monaco garden which also featured the 'totally tangerine' geum flower which I was more than happy to bring a plant of back home after the show.

I was really pleased to have a short conversation with the Duke of Edinburgh this year including a "Gosh!" at my paintings and a recognition of the pointillist style. I will aim for a slightly longer conversation next year if I get the chance!

The heavens literally opened this year when enough rain fell to stop the proceedings for what seemed like a good hour. We got to meet a lovely bunch of people who were sheltering in our stand during the storm (as you can see from the picture!) while Simon got to work with his mop and bucket to prevent our stand completely flooding as well as removing cards and paintings from the front of the stand to stop them getting drenched. All in a day in the life of the Chelsea flower show!

I was chuffed to get a commendation for my stand with positive comments about the planting and colours so will try and up my game again for next year.

Applications are already in for next years Chelsea so I will look forward to meeting many of you there again - fingers crossed.

The Monaco Garden

Carob tree

Spot Alan!

Sheltering from the monsoon

Miss Mop!

Is this pose ok?