Chris Beardshaw
Designer, TV presenter and judge
Whether he’s designing show gardens, presenting TV coverage, giving talks or taking part in the judging, the Chelsea experience is always full on for Chris Beardshaw. RHS Online wondered what he’s up to this year…
Royal Horticultural Society You’re always doing lots of different things at Chelsea, what are you involved in this time?
Chris Beardshaw Actually, on this occasion I’m not doing any judging or talks. My principal responsibilities are the Chris Beardshaw Mentoring Scholar and the urban garden he’s building as well as presenting for the BBC.
I’ve been lucky to be able to experience Chelsea from many different angles, first as a visitor, then as part of the presenting team and then creating gardens and judging - and now, with the Scholarship, you realise what a complex animal it is.
That’s part of the joy of it. For most people it’s just a one-day visit, but the potential is just enormous. Whether it’s strawberries or lawnmowers you’re interested in, there’s a leading expert to talk to - where else do you get such an assemblage of talent and knowledge? I think the horticultural world is very fortunate to be able to take advantage of such a gathering.
The whole experience is quite unlike anything else.
RHS Tell me a bit more about your Mentoring Scholarship?
CB The candidates all compete by building gardens at Malvern Spring Gardening Show and one scholar is awarded a year’s mentoring with the CBMS team. Financial bursaries are provided for further learning experience and to fund a show garden at Malvern Autumn Show. The culmination of their learning experience is to build a Chelsea garden - they are the only exhibitor guaranteed a plot there, which the RHS, as partners of this scholarship, kindly provides. So the whole experience is quite unlike anything else.
RHS Paul Hervey Brooks won last year’s Scholarship and he’s probably tearing his hair out at the moment, putting his urban garden together at Chelsea?
CB Actually Paul has gone from being nervous and self-conscious to being very calm and relaxed. We spotted very early on that he’s somebody with a great deal of design potential, but he lacked the self-confidence so we’ve been working on that, and now he’s at a point where I can quite safely keep my distance and know that the quality of his garden is going to be stunning. I would say he’s one to watch.
RHS Chelsea’s more than just a job isn’t it? What do you love most about it?
CB A particular memory would be walking onto a garden I’ve designed when it’s finished, first thing in the morning before judging, when the shafts of sunlight are coming through the new leaves of the plane trees on Main Avenue and everything’s been hosed down and primped and preened and there’s absolutely nothing you can do that will make the garden sit up more proudly than it is at that point. These experiences are very special – split seconds to be banked and appreciated.
RHS What advice can you give visitors at Chelsea?
Take a notebook and camera and jot down plant names or what people may have said. Then go back to your own garden and sit with a cup of coffee and enjoy reflecting on how you might use your own Chelsea experience.