We told you so. Or, at least, Titchmarsh did. Green is BIG in gardens this year. The Chelsea judges agreed and awarded Best in Show to the Laurent Perrier Garden which is almost exclusively green foliage bar a broody water feature being something of an urban chic take on a cattle trough. It's a calm, contemplative place. Perfect for drinking the sponsor's brand in, no doubt.
The fantastically named Edible Playground won the best of the courtyard gardens for encouraging kids to sow, grow and chow (it looks right but doesn't rhyme, unfortunately). Dorset schoolkids helped grow the plants, even contributing cress in painted egg cups and everything within is good for the tum and jolly good fun.
Best in show for urban gardens was A Welcome Sight which puts the glamour and hospitality back into front gardens with drawbridge-esque path over a water feature and hanging sculpted twirly steel by the front door (inspired by the designer's love of red wine... although whether this means it's red wine frozen in freefall or he got a bit pissed and thought, I've got a great idea, we don't know).
This year's Show looks so fabulous on telly and in pictures that we're seriously considering lining up some tickets for next year. Is gardening the new rock n roll? It's certainly awesome at Chelsea. Now, where did we leave the flymo?
All images courtesy of the official RHS Chelsea 2008 website.
