Chelsea Flower Show

Chelsea is all 'abloom this week with the opening of the annual Chelsea Flower Show, a gardening show held every year in the month of May on the grounds of the Royal Chelsea Hospital, located around the corner from our house. It is considered by many to be the most famous gardening event in the world, and each year, it kicks off the London summer social season. We were fortunate enough to be invited to the Gala Preview and Dinner on Monday night, the eve of the opening of the show. After the queen and her husband and others in the royal family were shown the grounds, we were escorted in for the night. As you might imagine, 100 pictures later--all discreetly taken with my point and shoot camera, we enjoyed a lovely dinner with our host group and called it a night. Unfortunately, it's hard to act "posh" and lug a big Nikon around your neck. Choosing the pictures to share was quite a task, but here we go. Hang on...

One of the highlights of the event would be the show gardens that are put together by different organizations. Gold, silver and bronze awards are announced for the winners. I loved the L'Occitane Garden based on the landscape of Provence in France.

Water elements were often featured in the gardens.

Unique this year was The Places of Change Garden, a part of the Eden Project, and this year 400 homeless people and 100 prisoners from across England were involved in growing, planting and building of the garden.

Inside the Pavilion was an explosion of color, as every color and species of flower were on display.

It was almost more than you could take in.

Robed in color.

Also on the grounds were an assortment of garden furnishings, equipment, accessories and this petite "conservatory" which every good English country house should have. I'm thinking about taking one of these back to the States--that would just about take up my whole back yard and lawn mowing wouldn't be an issue anymore. How can Mike say no to that?

Stay tuned--more to come tomorrow....