A veteran of 23 gardens at Chelsea Flower Show gives his warts-and-all guide to what it's
really like behind the scenes.
Think Chelsea Flower Show and most people think of smiling faces , designers and own a lot of press . But in the 20 years I have worked behind the scenes of an entrepreneur (co-director of Crocus I built 23 demonstration gardens which have won 20 gold and eight have won best show garden ) I saw another side of Chelsea. I am tempted to call it the dark side. It is certainly less glamorous : Chelsea a long boring meetings, and many nurseries cold rain intertwined with many of competitiveness.
Those who think that gardeners are nice, the people are wrong fluffy. We are all deeply competitive and Chelsea brings out the worst in us.
Chelsea Flower Show 2014 : designs for demonstration gardens
So how do you win at Chelsea? It is quite obvious that to build a beautiful garden, you need a designer and entrepreneur , and the difference between them is obvious from their contrasting shoes : Prada shoes is for designers, muddy boots for entrepreneurs like me.
You need a bit of both to build a successful exhibition garden. But the designers have also stuck in. If you ever meet Tom Stuart - Smith for a cat , it can discuss the merits of Wagner subtleties to the length , but it becomes muddy as to Ulf Nordfjell , Cleve West, Andy Sturgeon - all of veteran winners Chelsea.
Think Chelsea Flower Show and most people think of smiling faces , designers and own a lot of press . But in the 20 years I have worked behind the scenes of an entrepreneur (co-director of Crocus I built 23 demonstration gardens which have won 20 gold and eight have won best show garden ) I saw another side of Chelsea. I am tempted to call it the dark side. It is certainly less glamorous : Chelsea a long boring meetings, and many nurseries cold rain intertwined with many of competitiveness.
Those who think that gardeners are nice, the people are wrong fluffy. We are all deeply competitive and Chelsea brings out the worst in us.
Chelsea Flower Show 2014 : designs for demonstration gardens
So how do you win at Chelsea? It is quite obvious that to build a beautiful garden, you need a designer and entrepreneur , and the difference between them is obvious from their contrasting shoes : Prada shoes is for designers, muddy boots for entrepreneurs like me.
You need a bit of both to build a successful exhibition garden. But the designers have also stuck in. If you ever meet Tom Stuart - Smith for a cat , it can discuss the merits of Wagner subtleties to the length , but it becomes muddy as to Ulf Nordfjell , Cleve West, Andy Sturgeon - all of veteran winners Chelsea.
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