A sharp shower has sent me scurrying for cover and coffee and a welcome chance to blog. Chelsea is as classy as ever – I’m surrounded by well-dressed women and listening to a constant sound track of flettened vowels – but there’s a welcome sense of self-awareness and humour. The banker’s garden, with its monopoly figurine car and dice made me smile as did the offshore garden with it’s moat and model yacht. My personal favourites so far are ‘Nature ascending’ and Eco chic’ which won best in show in the small category.

I’m guessing the perfume garden won best in show. I’m opposite it now and it is impressive, with it’s bubbling cauldron sculpture at it’s heart. It’s a superb concept, though the garden itself leaves me unmoved, oddly.

I think the best planting I’ve seen is on the Cancer Research garden, but they only got a silver-gilt. My guess is that the Rhus typhinus let them down.

JAS is opposite me, chatting on his mobile phone. Shall I introduce myself? No, it’s not the thing, is it? Thought he was great on the coverage last night. See, I said he was box office!

Off to the floral marqee now. More later…..

Update: what a strange new world we are in. The bandstand conductor has just turned to the audience, resplendent in his red livery, shoes gleaming with polish, and announced that the Speaker has resigned. He received a genteel, approving round of applause before picking up his baton and leading a spot of Sinatra. Surely a riot is in order, now that we are in anarchy? I think I need a Pimm’s….

May 19, 2009