Blue Daisy Blog

In case you’ve missed mention of it The RHS Chelsea Flower Show has been on this week and I’ve been gutted that I haven’t had the opportunity to go down and check it out for myself this year.  While it’s for a good reason - I’ve been so busy doing designs for Blue Daisy's own clients - not being able to get there in person hasn't stopped me taking a sneaky peek at the TV occasionally.  From what I’ve managed to see, here are some of my favourite garden designer bits:

Designer Chris Beardshaw never seems to disappoint, and this year he continues to inspire with his Arthritis Research Garden.  A personal journey for him - he was diagnosed with arthritis in his teens - his planting is absolutely gorgeous and I just love the scupture that's forming the focal point in this shot. 

This garden is a sum of its parts and is split into 3 sections that represent the journey that arthritis sufferers go through from diagnosis through to managing their condition effectively and with confidence.  The warm, vibrant planting in this image forms the Radiant Garden, representative of that final happier stage.  See Chris Beardshaw talk about his 2013 show garden here.

Chris won a well deserved gold medal for his efforts and the coveted People's Choice award.

I think most of you who know me and/or read my blogs know that I'm quite passionate about the horticultural industry and I always encourage my customers to learn new skills in their garden.  In Victorian times we had so much knowledge and many skills we were world leaders in the horticultural industry.  These skills were being passed down the generations, sadly both World War 1 & 2  took many lives and with them the vast horticultural knowledge and skills we had disappeared. 

I am so pleased to read in the RHS magazine that the RHS has recently begun to lobby the government for the first time regarding this industry and as such children in England could be taking gardening lessons at school from September 2014.  The proposed changes could apply to children in both primary and secondary schools who could learn how to cultivate plants for practical purposes whether that is for food or for decorative displays.  

There is also linked to this a distinct lack of careers advice for school leavers for this industry which means that many school leaves either don't consider that horticulture is an option or it is seen as an industry to enter if you have failed at school. I know we can't change everything overnight, it saddens me that some people feel that horticulture is a dead end job but where would we be without crops for food, trees for timber and of course every plant in existence allows us humans to breath and exist.  

I am so pleased that there may indeed be a few organisations out there lobbying for our industry, well done to those that have put horticulture on the agenda and I will play my small part to encourage my team to continue to learn every day as I will and also my customers to pick up a trowel and have a go!

Please, if you feel as I do about our wonderful industry share this article on Facebook or Twitter, contact me and give me your thoughts and opinions and if you have children talk to them about their options which could include horticulture.

Yes, you read it right Prince Harry, it seems, has applied to the RHS to exhibit in Central Avenue of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013.

Details are still to be confirmed but it appears the garden has been commissioned by the children’s charity Sentebale which was founded by Prince Harry. It is thought that B&Q will be sponsoring the garden and Prince Harry will be having help from a former Chelsea Gold Medal winner, Jinny Bloom.

Rumours abound that Harry has a passion for Tulips and Begonias, an interesting concept considering some of his latest media altercations and his passion for the Army Air Corps. It’s great for horticulture that someone his age who is third in line to the throne is getting involved, it can only be a positive thing....although I am finding it difficult picturing him planning his garden whilst in Afghanistan!

Latest Update 5 February 2013:

The garden that has been desiged by Jinny Blom with input from Harry while he was serving in Afghanistan is to feature the hearts and crown motif on a stone terrace which was Princess Diana's favourite motif.  It will include Trifolium repens 'William' which is said to be a tribute to his brother and he has requested forget-me-nots. 

Sir Joseph Banks (1743-1820) - one of the most important figures in British horticulture of the 18th Century.

Joseph Banks was born into a wealthy family of landowners in Lincolnshire; his father was also a Member of the House of Commons. Banks’ love of nature and botany started at an early age as a school boy at Eton, later he studied at Oxford University where his ambition to become the leader in all areas of natural history and in particular botany began to flourish.

In 1761 Banks’ father died, he inherited an immense fortune and became the Squire and a local magistrate.  This meant he spent a lot of time travelling between London and Chelsea where his mother lived; he continued to visit the Chelsea Physic Gardens and the British museum keeping his interest in science alive.  During this time he began to network with other scientists listening and expanding his understanding of science.  He also began to correspond with Carl Linnaeus who devised a method of plant classification for people around the world. It was these men who in April 1766 were so impressed by Banks, nominated him as a Fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) at the age of 23.

Also in April of 1766 Banks set sail on HMS Niger with an old friend from Eton, Constantine John Phipps now a navel lieutenant who was very interested in exploration.  He jumped at the chance to join Banks and it is said it was he who negotiated passage with the naval vessel to Labrador and Newfoundland.

The RHS has recently released an additional plants for pollinators list - this time focusing on native wildflowers - many of which are also good for inclusion in our gardens.

The plight of our pollinators was highlighted in our recent Pledge for Pollinators article. We are passionate about trying to help our pollinators who are in serious trouble right now and whilst the reasons for their decline are varied and complex part of the problem can be attributed to the reduction in the abundance of wildflowers in the countryside.

The new list contains over 200 wildflower plants and the cultivated garden plants list that we linked to in our previous article has now also been extended to include over 400 plants.

Our gardens are becoming increasingly important in the fight to help our pollinators and we can make a real difference by including as many plants as possible in our planting schemes that are good sources of nectar and pollen.