Make Your Garden Beautiful – Taking Inspiration from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2016
Thats right, its the time of year where we feel BLOOMING marvelous! There’s been some fantastic designs this year, from a beautiful floral arch to commemorate Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday to the more eccentric Harrod’s British Eccentrics Garden.
But what about you? Are you looking to create your own masterpiece from home?
Take inspiration from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and become a green fingers yourself by following our comprehensive guide on the ‘must have’ looks for 2016.
Commemorate The Queen with your own floral tribute
Photographic exhibits and a unique floral arch way are just some of the tributes to commemorate the 90th birthday of HRH Queen Elizabeth at this years show. So why not show your patriotism by creating a beautiful floral tribute of your own?
How about a Union Jack of your own or a bed of flowers spelling out Happy Birthday? Carnations, asters and roses (red), orchids and callas (white) and anemone and hydrangea (blue) are all really striking options and will really give your garden a luminous feel.
Once you have chosen your flowers, make sure you use a premium grade topsoil and water every couple of days. (other than if there is a good 1 to 2 inches of rainfall in the week, as this is a sufficient amount of water)
Go poppy crazy
Philip Johnson (winner of Best Show Garden in 2013) has created a stunning poppy tribute at the entrance to this years show. The beautiful display features over 300,000 individually crocheted pieces, covering 21,000 square feet.
https://youtu.be/OumU9I_XbFk
Growing your own poppies is easy and if done right, can look absolutely stunning.
Fill pots with a seed compost not too rich in nutrients to avoid prolific leafy growth at the expense of flowers, and scatter seeds thinly across the surface. Cover with a thin layer of compost and water to ensure that the soil is moist. This is best done using a watering can with a fine sprinkling head attached, or a spray bottle to mist.
The tiny size of annual poppy seeds will mean that any heavy watering will cause them to be displaced from where they’ve been sown.
Alternatively, stand the pot or tray in water and cover with a plastic bag, allowing the moisture to rise up through the compost.
Do something different
This year, world leading percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie has created a garden which will play musical notes to visitors.
Incorporating a hobby into a flowery creation is a great idea! Whether you’re in to sport, music, the arts, or popular culture, it’s a great way to express yourself.
Why not get creative and grab an old musical instrument to fill with bedding plants or use sports equipment like hockey sticks and tennis bats and grow climbing plants on them? You could even hang flowers from an old bike, create famous logos and characters out of flowers or decorate food with edible plants or freshly grown fruits.
The sky really is the limit!
Be eccentric
Horticultural showman Diarmuid Gavin is back at this years show with The Harrod’s British Eccentrics Garden. This features a bizarre but unique set of gadgetry which comes to life every 15 minutes.
If you’re really going to push the boat out, you could be like Diarmuid and go all fancy and technical.
Inspired by the likes of W. Heath Robinson, Rowland Emett and Aardman Animations, Diarmuid’s creation see’s cute little characters, trees and bushes come alive in the most extravagant of ways.
When it comes to creating your own ‘moving garden’ you don’t have to spend a fortune to ‘make your garden move’.
Central water features, windmills (among flowers), wind chimes and even novelty electric train sets etc. can add an extra dimension to your garden and it’s something the kids will love.
For more information on RHS Chelsea Flower show and the Royal Horticultural Society, check out the official website here: