Perennially inspirational – that’s Chelsea 2010
If it’s inspiration you want, then Chelsea 2010 has got it in spades, says Mary Thorp, of the RHS Herbaceous Floral A Committee.
“The Eden Project’s Places of Change garden is incredibly inspirational,” said Mary. “It’s all been put together by homeless people, and it’s got so many brilliant ideas. My own favourite is the greenhouse made out of recycled plastic bottles.”
“The weather has had an effect this year – there’s less of the really spectacular plants like sweet peas - but the Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants (GPF16) and Harvey’s Garden Plants (GPG13) displays are beautifully naturalistic.”
“I really liked the Hardy Plant Society stand too (GPH11). You can find plants for any situation – from dry shade to sunny and so on. Very useful.”
If you have a small garden like Mary, who grows in a very small town garden, then head over to the Knoll Gardens stand (GPF4). “There’s lots of small grasses you can grow in a back garden,” she said.
Mary’s tips for ‘must-see’ gardens include the Generation Garden from Morrisons ‘Let’s Grow To Chelsea’ (GPE11) and the imaginative planting in the Foreign & Colonial Investments main show garden (MA24)