Helen Johnstone gets an insider's view of preparations for the Chelsea Flower Show
I have spent the last two days in the crazy, surreal world of build-up to the Chelsea Flower Show. I was helping Ann-Marie Powell to plant her garden for the British Heart Foundation. Arriving at the show, you walk along the Chelsea Embankment and in through the Bullring Gates and suddenly you are in another world. A world of high-viz jackets, lorries, construction vehicles, plants, noise, dust and highly creative people.
Suddenly I'm at the garden and thrown straight in at the deep end. What are we doing? How are we doing it? I have no idea. I'm told we are planting the borders. These are the plants to use, these are the plants not to use, place them and then ask Ann-Marie is she likes it. It is a fascinating process, especially if you don't work in the horticultural industry.
At the start there was a sense of tension: industrious planting was going on but there was definitely an "elephant in the room". Why? Well, the large pool, a major feature, was leaking. So the pool had been emptied, the plants carefully removed and contractors were trying to find the leak.
By Saturday morning the pool was refilled and the plants replaced and tweaking and finishing off was in full swing. As the garden was being filmed the next morning, there was an added sense of urgency. All around us other gardens were finished and it felt as though the clock was really ticking. However, the sense of bonhomie and mutual encouragement throughout the showground is amazing. Old friends are reunited, advice and support given, gossip caught up on.
I feel incredibly lucky to have helped create what I think is a wonderful garden ? though of course I may be a little prejudiced.
Helen Johnstone blogs at Patient Gardener
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2011/may/23/gardens-chelseaflowershow
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