Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Mark and Gaz
It's not all outdoor attractions at the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show, there are of course the marquees with individual themes like Plant Heritage, Rose and Floristry, Growing for Taste, and several others. Then there's the main one called the Floral Marquee wherein the display stands (that are up for judging and medals) and plant sales stalls of participating specialist nurseries can be found.
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| As floral as can be! |
This marquee is a plantmans paradise; a showcase of a huge variety of plants creatively displayed, ready to be admired by anyone who ventures in it. And even better, you'll have the chance to indulge in plant retail therapy too via the plant sales stalls, with the ones on display more likely they have some available for sale too. In there you are bound to spot so many rare and unusual plants to excite and tickle your fancy. It is also a great place to hunt for new plants or others that you may not be familiar with before but could potentially interest you.
We spent most of our time in there last Monday, catching up with some friends that we knew in advance would be there, and pleasantly bumping into others who were there at the same time too by chance.Who says a plantsmans marquee cannot be a social marquee too? Saying that, the plants and the displays were still the main draw for us. We'll share to you some of the scenes we captured and displays as we found them last Monday....
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| Desert to Jungle stand, note the show stopping trunked Blechnum tabulare in the middle |
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| Bright and colourful gladioli display. It is a floral marquee after all! |
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| Blackmore and Langdon's stand |
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| Banksia grandis, a show stopping plant at the.... |
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| Trewidden stand |
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| Monday was a judging day for the stands inside the Floral Marquee and several of them were still in the middle of finalising their displays at the time of our visit |
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| I do like this regimented and structural way of presenting Allium blooms |
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| A very fun way of presenting Agapanthus blooms! |
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| The badgers make an appearance again, this time at Hampton Court. Culm View Nursery stand |
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| Sumptous succulents! I like the way they have presented these spikies as well as the colour scheme of the stand itself (grey and maroon, an elegant colour combination). Craig House Cacti stand |
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| Summer and Lilies go hand in hand |
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| The very architectural, leafy, and lush stand of Amulree Exotics |
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| Note the tall, trunked specimen of Chamaerops humilis var. arborescens in the middle |
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| and the very blue Nannorrhops ritchiana on the edge as a contrast to all the green lushness |
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| Sempervivums and other alpines at the... |
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| D'Arcy and Everest stand |
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| Plantbase Nursery stand, full of unusual exotics. Note the Sonchus fruticosus (tree dandelion) in the middle |
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| Spiky Solanums! All gorgeous! |
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| Hardy's Nursery stand |
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| As floral as can be - Dahlias |
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| My personal favourite of all the stands in the Floral Marquee of Hampton Court this year - Todd's Botanics |
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| The planting and colour palette is refined and exquisite... |
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| Beautiful at every angle... |
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| Superb planting |
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| Can't sing it enough praises |
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| Todd's Botanics stand - outstanding! |
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| More lilies courtesy of Harts Nursery |
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| Eremurus, Alliums, Astilbe, and many more... |
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| Primrose Bank stand |
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| Burncoose Nursery stand |
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| Hart Canna stand |
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| Aldo Airplants stand |
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| For the more serious Nepenthes collector... |
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| Borneo Exotics - for all your Nepenthes needs! |
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| Not to forget the orchids - Burnham Nurseries stand |
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| You can always rely on Jacques Amand to make a fabulous stand! |
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| Waiting for customers.... |
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| Rotherview Nursery stand |
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| W & S Lockyer stand |
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| A lovely stand of ornamental grasses, looks great against the black backdrop |
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| Spikies for sale |
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| Disa, beautiful Disa! Dave Parkinson Plants stand |
Although I wasn't intending on buying any plants that day (not wanting to carry them around for the rest of the day, especially we were attending a sub event within the show that afternoon) my resistance was weak and I made a couple of purchases within the marquee whilst there. How could I resist when we were surrounded by so many gorgeous plants? I carried around with me a lovely specimen of Ginkgo biloba 'California Sunset' (my second plant, because why have one when you can have two?!) and left behind a small palm to be collected on Saturday when we'll possibly go back again (if not then we'll have to make arrangements for delivery or collection somewhere else).
Hampton Court Flower Show is a great day out, even for anyone not really into plants as there other things and attractions in there too to appeal to every taste. With the grand setting and generous space it is conducive to having a picnic too or just relaxing within the grounds. And for this year, as a bonus the weather is cooperating too. Sunny and warm, gorgeous location, lots of plants, perfect!
Mark :-)
This gardening blog follows our journey as we create our Tropical and Exotic themed garden. We hope you'll enjoy the journey as much as we do. We started our Exotic Garden in 2005 and this site will show its development, as well as our travels, both abroad and within the UK to gardens, nurseries and friends.
As I scrolled down the page I couldn't believe the pictures could keep outdoing each other with the displays. Simply divine.
ReplyDeleteMost of the exhibitors have outdone themselves this year :)
DeleteYou have so many fabulous shows like this in your area! Each display is beautiful and interesting in some way. Simply amazing! I got a small Banksia grandis at a sale this spring because I love the foliage. It's already doubled in size and I've repotted it twice. I don't know if it'll ever bloom for me but I'll be happy even if it doesn't. Interesting that you are able to find Ginkgo biloba 'California Sunset' so easily there. On one English website, it is labeled as a recent introduction from the U.S. I've only come across two here in the last ten years, both of which I bought! So beautiful they are!
ReplyDeleteHope you get the Banksia grandis to a good size and flower for you Peter, it is a sight to behold in person. And fine taste you have there with the California Sunset ;) it is a really nice plant with it's graceful habit enhanced by the variegation.
DeleteOf course you bought something - who could resist? Flower overload, fabulous. Especially loved the alliums.
ReplyDeleteIt's difficult to resist surrounded by all those plants. And unlike Chelsea you can plant shop in the marquee :) Should have taken more photos of that Allium stand...
DeleteThe gladioli, alliums and Rutherford nursery are my faves! Jeannine
ReplyDeleteWe can see why, they're a nice lot!
DeleteGood lord! So many beautiful things. How could you not buy anything, that would have been impossible. Glad to hear you succumbed to temptation. Do they sell plants from the displays on the last day?
ReplyDeleteIndeed Loree! Even though we went there not thinking of plant shopping I also knew resistance would be futile, and I was right :) Yes, some nurseries do sell plants from their display stand on the last day.
DeleteWow. The standard is so unbelievably high. You only bought two plants? Impressive restraint. Dave
ReplyDeleteStandards are good indeed David! Only two that day, I don't know how many next time...
DeleteI like a gardener who buys a plant and then worries about getting it home afterwards. These are great photos of a fab tour and I am more than grateful to you for these Hampton Court posts as I can't make it to the show this year. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt's a pleasure to share :) Hopefully you can make it next year!
DeleteFantastic booths set up. I was wowed by most of them. I think my favorite ended up being Todd's also. Beautiful combinations there.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
The standards of the display is very high, so many good ones to choose from :)
DeleteI was over the moon with that first shot of the Eremurus. I keep hoping that mine will multiply to the point where I can bear to bring some inside. Many beautiful displays, but the alliums stand out for the originality of the design. Thanks go to you for showing something I will most likely never experience in real life.
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll get the chance to attend one of the shows here in the near future, who knows :) The Eremurus grouped together like does look extra spectacular, and we agree with the Allium stand, presented uniquely and very well.
DeleteYou have so many fun garden shows/events! Of course, I love the grasses, and the Hardy's booth caught my eye too...those dark Astrantias are lovely!
ReplyDeleteWe feel lucky we're almost spoilt for choice here :) British obsession with gardening certainly does help with having so many shows here.
DeleteSo now I am pretty much drooling over all those awesome displays. Thank you for the great tour! That regimented display of delphiniums and tuberous begonias is a bit ominous, though.
ReplyDeleteHope you get the chance to visit one of the flower shows here soon :)
DeleteWhat a great event full of color and every plant you could ever want. Your photos are outstanding. Thank you for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteI envy your tour without the crowds. I went on Thursday and the place was rammed. I have the bruised shins to prove it! Still, a great show, and I also treated myself to a Gingko; G. Mariken, along with Aloe polyphylla from Trewwiden's stand. Great pictures as always,thanks for sharing.
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