With summer fast approaching it is now the perfect time to get outside and find gardening inspiration for the coming months. For those looking for new additions to their flower beds, tips on how best to look after different plants, or just a good day out, the Chelsea Flower Show will be taking place from the 20th to the 24th of May 2014. Renowned for its vibrant displays of plant life, helpful advice for gardeners and frequent celebrity appearances, the show has some exciting new attractions this year.
One themed garden for 2014 will be exhibited by Hooks Green Herbs, and will explore the creations of Beatrix Potter. Including a mock-up of the famous vegetable garden in the Peter Rabbit stories, it will be located within the Great Pavilion. There will also be a new Discovery area situated in the Great Pavilion, which will be packed full of scientific and educational exhibits. This provides a perfect opportunity to keep younger attendees entertained.
As 2014 marks a century since the start of the First World War, the Chelsea Flower Show has dedicated several gardens to the commemoration of those who lost their lives. ABF, The Soldier’s Charity, have created a garden named ‘No Man’s Land’ to reflect how the damaging effects of war were felt. Designed by Charlotte Rowe, it looks not only at those who fought during the war, but also at the landscapes that were destroyed by the battles.
Another garden created in memory of WWI is ‘Hope on the Horizon’, which has been designed by Matthew Keightley for Help the Heroes. As his first RHS Chelsea Show garden, it represents the complex and progressive path towards recovery for wounded veterans and their loved ones. Birmingham City Council has also created a memorial garden by joining forces with the Royal British Legion and the charity Thrive. This exhibit will feature wartime memorabilia as well as giant poppies and reconstructions of the trenches.
The grounds of the Chelsea Hospital have been the location for the show since 1913, with the only gaps in the show’s history being during WWI and WWII. As a highly popular event, it receives a great deal of media coverage and BBC viewing figures reach an average of 2.2 million viewers. An estimated 157,000 people attend the show each year, which makes it not only one of the most interesting and diverse outdoor events of the year, but also one of the most exciting.
Source: www.uniquemagazines.co.uk
