After submitting plans late last year for three gardens at various shows in 2008, and being accepted with a Chic Garden at Chelsea called Green Living, a Back to Back at Tatton called Time out, and a Show Garden also at Tatton called Aqualife – this year is already very busy. So far I have mostly been... Read more..

There'll be no veg gardening for me this weekend - or for the next few days for that matter. I'll be at the Chelsea Flower Show until Tuesday afternoon,so won't be getting my fingers dirty at all for four days. Look at the RHS Online at the shows blogs to see how I get on at Chelsea. Read more..

I met the school council at Ferring primary school the other day. I don't know who was more daunted - me (I'd never met a school council before), or them (many had never met a horticulturalist before, never mind a 'royal' one). But how exciting. They have decided to put on their own show... Read more..

It seemed a good idea at the time,a week on a tropical island, alittle down time. lull before the storm..to take a holiday a matter of weeks from Chelsea is unheard of for me.having just reached a significant birthday, and wanting to mark the moment.I thought well why not. a sneaky week in Mauritus.... Read more..

Sometimes all you have to do is plant an idea, provide the tools needed and step back (http://www.ted.com/speakers/sugata_mitra.html). You have to be prepared for the end result to not be yours, but theirs. There’s a chance it may not be what you hoped. But there’s every chance it is what you hoped and... Read more..

Continuing my look at all the plants shortlisted for the 2011 Chelsea Plant Of The Year award, we come to three new lilies all entered by H. W. Hyde and Son . 'Firebolt' (above left, click to enlarge) is a new Oriental hybrid lily from Holland. Bred as a cut flower, its sultry deep red flowers... Read more..

The expert plants people of the RHS chose the shortlist for the 2012 Chelsea Plant of the Year. Thirty seven entries were brought down to a Top Twenty of new plants from all over the world. The winner, as I forecast yesterday, was Digitalis Illumination Pink ('Tmdgfp001') (below, lick to enlarge... Read more..

The winner of this year’s Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year award is Digitalis Illumination. In second place came Dianthus Memories and in third place came Hyacinthus orientalis 'Royal Navy'. I have to say that I’ve been enthusing about Thompson & Morgan ’s Digitalis Illumination ('Tmdgfp001'... Read more..