Photos by H

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Hampton Court Flower Show - part 2

If you're still with me....let's carry on round the show.

There were lots of gardens using Eryngium - I'd love to have some - this is from the "Bounce Back" garden, a charity that works with ex-offenders.

Again, lots of blues and purples I think this is why I liked so many of the gardens, my favourite colours!!!

A Space to Connect and Grow... stunning..Another of my favourites! The designer Jeni Cairns has used lots of recycled materials and has some fantastic elements in her garden. This won the Best Summer Garden category, gold medal and best garden. I loved it.

recycled oil drums

gorgeous designs etched onto these drums used as planters. Appealed to the crafter in me!

From there I went into the Rose Marquee - and some wonderful blooms. they had a circus theme this year and all the exhibitors had various circus elements or added delights to stage their roses.

a better use of the cages than for animals

this was gorgous

striking colours

Into the main - and massive - Floral Marquee - now one long marquee rather than in the show's early days, several inter-connecting ones.

more blue and white - agapanthas again

air plants

love alliums and those tall spiky flowers I can never remember the name of!

dahlias, colour co-ordinated round the stand

echinacae - stunning ... I could go on adding photos forever.. but you may get bored!

Back out to the gardens - this is for
the One Show tv programme - they ran a competition for a viewer to design a garden and came up with a complete winner - a sunken garden... one of my favourites.. I know I have lots, but this was gorgeous. It's the colours again I think!

her design is based on the Roman city of Bath. (now I read the leaflet)

I don't think my photos do it justice, actually (must have been getting tired)

Come back for part 3 - the non flower part (unless I can't help myself!)

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Hampton Court Palace Flower Show - part 1

Hi, stand by for another mammoth post... I fact I think I'll split it into more than one...
I love going to the Hampton Court Flower Show, although I haven't been for the last couple of years. I decided that I would go this year, only a couple of days ago, after much deliberation over the forecast... it's not fun in the rain (I should know, I've done it before)

Anyhow, they said today would be cloudy but brightening up and would be humid this afternoon.. I took a chance and wore my "Wimbledon" outfit - maxi dress and sandals - should have taken the hat too, I ended up buying another one, it turned out so hot!!

The journey is easy enough, one change of train and a short walk along the river following the crowds (or a boat if you wish)

As soon as I got inside, the sun came out and stayed out! It was boiling hot...The show was split into three areas, "Inspire", "Grow" and "Escape".
I started at Inspire,

Conceptual Gardens are a feature of Hampton Court, and this year included some turf sculptures. I had good intentions of making notes of the ones I took pictures of... yeah, right!!

The Conceptual Gardens this year, were themed around the 7 deadly sins... This is Sloth, Quarry of Silences...

and this is Pride "breaking down the walls of pride"

lots of yellow and purple

This is Wrath "Eruption of unhealed anger"
This was a fabulous garden, rich hot reds and golds and an exploding water volcano type feature....

careful where you stand!

the colours weren't all rich hot reds, lots of soft colours and beautiful stone work..

This was the Macmillan Cancer garden, beautiful beautiful planting (and free - or a donation - suncream sachets, which were very handy!)

Lots of the gardens had big sculptures in. I'll keep most of them for a separate post.

Not sure which one this was...I love this natural wild look (mainly because I leave my own to do what it wants...) although this is very carefully done here!