Chelsea

At the end of May I took my annual trip to the Chelsea Flower Show and it was wonderful as always. I go on a Saturday because that is the day the coach trip is organised, but when I asked around, most people said that it is pretty crowded on the other days too. I really shouldn’t complain about crowds because even if you want to see the show gardens, it’s only a matter of a minute or so before you are actually at the front of the little knot of people “oohing” and aahing” with the best of them!

I most enjoy the grand marquee where you can meet the growers and ask your questions.The people on the R H S stand are competent of course , and helpful too. The best part of the day is when the countdown begins and the bell rings; that’s when the visitors can dash to their favourite stands and buy the show plants. A lot of people come with bags and trolleys for this! And I love the scenes in the street when people are catching their buses almost swamped with their lovely purchases. I flew home with only a trolley so there was no possibility of buying any more plants. Maybe I’ve found a way to keep my collecting habit in check?