Does it have the WOW factor?

When I was judging Chelsea a few weeks ago, our judging team were in general agreement that  some exhibitors needed to move into the 21st century and display their plants and flowers in a much more creative way. You may recall that Warmenhoven with its ceiling of Amaryllis achieved the Best in Show. This nursery have been repeatedly creative.

Warmenhoven - probably Chelsea 2012

Now last week at the BBC Gardener's World, I was also judging in the Floral Marquee but in a different judging team and found my  negative comments on traditional staging were not shared by my fellow judges (to put it mildly!). Amongst our exhibits for judging, we had three stands of fuchsias and we had an experienced fuchsia grower amongst the panel of judges. All three stands of fuchsias were similar, tiered displays (woops corrected my Freudian slip of 'tired') against a backdrop, with a wall of fuchsias from waist height up to about 2.5m (8ft). The following picture is not from that show, nor do I know what nursery this is, but it shows the style of exhibit precisely.

I argued that it was not creative and did not show the character of any of the plants. One of the judges defended the display saying that there were some wonderful show standards at the top of the display. Well - if he'd have thought for moment, that point really emphasized my opinion, as the plants were so closely crushed together that it was impossible to see they were standards!

Fuchsias can be grown and trained in several ways - bush plants, standards on a leg, pyramids and even fans - such wonderful adaptable plants! And then their habit of growth varies from the upright types, to the rounded, spreading and trailing types, beautifully displayed in hanging baskets. Add to all this, (and yes I have rattled on) the obvious fact that the fuchsia is a graceful plant with delicate flowers that should be displayed to display these characteristics. None of this was visible in any of the displays as all were just stuffed with plants. The following picture from the Royal Cornwall Show in 2006 shows that fuchsias can be exhibited in a more innovative way.

Now the fuchsia growers aren't the only ones with their heads in the horticultural sand and the following few pictures will give you an idea of the typical traditional display that is often repeated by growers at each show. In some cases it is so similar that in looking at my pictures, I can't really see the difference! The counter argument, often proffered by the growers is that this is what the public want - well is it? Would you like to see more innovation and different ways of display? I've never done a poll before, but if you have an opinion on this, let me know by casting you vote in the poll at the top of the right margin next to this post. Before you do that, have a look at a few more traditional 'show-stoppers'.

And finally on a more positive and less controversial note, I did like Dibley's stand at the BBC Gardener's World Show. Although the presentation was fairly traditional, it was lifted by a cascade of pale blue Streptocarpus - possibly 'Falling Stars'. I like it!

Bordering on fantastic!

On Monday I was up bright and early judging at the BBC Gardener's World Show at the NEC, Birmingham.  In true British flower show style, the morning was chilly and damp with enough light rain in the air to make us all start with waterproofs! This time I was judging the Birmingham borders, and as today's title suggests, most of these really were fantastic.

These are small plots but marked under similar exacting criteria to exhibition gardens at all the big flower shows and some were very much show standard - just smaller! Design and construction is mostly by  groups of students or small landscape companies and is an excellent and affordable entry to the show world. We awarded two Golds, four Silver Gilts, four Silvers and three Bronze. None of them were below these standards, so we didn't have to give any 'No Awards' as they are called.

The top award and a well deserved Gold Medal, went to 'Beating the Doldrums', a planting scheme based on sailing with wonderful waving grasses, sympathetic planting and some great seaside props. One could just imagine a sailing enthusiast constructing a garden like this in a small city centre plot to remind of happy weekends away sailing.

Beating the Doldrums

Beating the Doldrums

Beating the doldrums

'Smoke and Mirrors - through the Looking Glass' also achieved a well deserved Gold, portraying changes in the journey of life. The mirrors reflect our current feelings but shield from the future. The flowering smokebush hides our feelings and the river of lavender simulates life's journey. This was a complex but well executed garden. The planting on one side of the double mirrors being more colourful, suggesting happier times. Looking in detail you find the  golden Choisya 'Sundance' on one side and the more muted shades of Choiysa 'Aztec Pearl' on the other. Just one of several clever details.

Smoke and Mirrors - do you see the mirror amongst the climbers?

Smoke and Mirrors

Amongst the Silver Gilts, 'Light the Blue Touch Paper' is a brave attempt to portray fireworks over rooftops using plants. 'Opposites Detract' expresses the serious concern of many at funding cuts for local parks. Whilst the dereliction on one side is sharply contrasted with the clipped culture on the other, it is a pity that the positive had to be illustrated with such an awful example of summer bedding. 'Surrender' portrays' the decline of an abandoned garden as nature takes over. 'There's Sense in that' illustrates how the senses can incorporated into  a garden with colour, scent, movement and sound. Whilst generally well designed, this scheme was spoilt by three poor trees placed in a row along the plot.

Light the Blue Touch Paper

Opposites Detract - awful colour scheme!

Opposites Detract - great detail here

Surrender

There's sense in that

'The Secret Gardener' was lovely idea (or maybe a true story) about a small beautifully maintained parterre discovered in the midst of a ruined and derelict garden. Sadly there wasn't enough contrast between cultivated and neglected, and insufficient colour.  Silver's were also awarded to the colourful 'Don't Worry - BEE Happy', 'Glass-Flower Stone' and 'No Ball Games'.

The Secret Gardener - so many possibilities

Don't Worry - BEE Happy - judges didn't like the symmetrical and spotty planting

Glass Flower Stone - the glass sculpture is out of the picture - horrible!

No balls games - nice prop but didn't really tell the story

A Bronze went to 'Peter Rabbit Runs Amok in Beatrice Potter's Garden' - a lovely idea but lacking in detail. Pity they didn't realise that the pots of geraniums overturned by Peter in the story are the actually Pelargoniums (usually iluustrated red) and not herbaceous Geraniums. 'Everything Stops for Tea' suggests the time-travelling idea that a garden becomes overgrown whilst the staff stop for tea - great fun. The final bronze went to 'Upsy Daisy' which claimed to celebrate the daisy but featured too many other flowers to be convincing. A child's deckchair  suggests appeal to children but why no traditional daisy chain?

Peter Rabbit - more colour needed

Everything stops for Tea - too much bare soil

Upsy Daisy - more daisies needed!

Whilst some of the beds could do with improvement and there were lost opportunities, the overall standard was impressive and there is lots for the visitor to see and some great ideas to take home!

Sunday afternoon in The Park

This isn't a park but The Park and it's garden visiting not a park! Confused? The Park is a private  estate in Nottingham with some similarity to the gated communities which are so common in California and probably other parts of the USA. The Park was originally the hunting ground linked to the nearby Nottingham Castle. After many years of disuse, residential development started around 1827 and the estate features many grand Victorian houses built by the eminent local architects Thomas Hine and Watson Fothergill. The estate is now owned by a private company and managed by the residents. It has been designated a Conservation Area with over 100 listed buildings and hundreds of mature trees. It also remains one of very few, if not the only community still to have active gas street lamps.

This was the 21st Park Garden trail with  21 open gardens, plus various activities in the open spaces, music and art from Nottingham Trent University. I had a brief involvement with The Park a few years back and designed some planting schemes for some of the public areas. Some of the work has been completed but is still ongoing.

One of my planting schemes

Imposing entrance - can I come in?

Many of the properties are protected by high brick walls so it was great to be invited in to explore. Compared to the Palm Springs Garden tour, there was a lovely welcoming atmosphere and freedom to explore the gardens at our leisure between 13.00 and 18.00. There seemed to be refreshments everywhere! Like so many gardens in the UK this year, plant development is slow and late and there were some disappointments. Despite some very neat and tidy gardens, I didn't discover any that suggested a real plant lover was at work. Anyway - a few pictures from the various gardens.

A potting shed to die for!

I was looking forward to seeing the art from the local students but quite frankly appalled at much of what was on display. In general it was pointless and puerile. Having just been immersed for two days in the Patchings Art festival and seen the high standards there from both amateur and professional, I cannot perceive what is being taught at the Nottingham Trent University. I overheard one student say that he thought they had really developed through this project. If this is after improvement, I despair!

In all however, its a great event which is likely to raise in excess of £10,000 for charity. Well done to all the garden owners and organisers. just don't invite the 'artists' next year!

An arty week

Forgive me if I chatter about art on this occasion, although as you may know my current passion is to paint flowers and plants. One of the exciting things about painting is that one can put together whatever plants you want, stretch the imagination with colours and almost anything else you like, although I draw the line at confusing the seasons. I just could not paint dahlias with daffodils! This is my current creation, just finished and hopefully acceptable for the University Summer Exhibition in a few weeks.

'Summer flowers' or anyone ideas for a better title?

This was also the week of the Patchings Art Festival which was a huge surprise with hundreds of people attending this four day event. I had courtesy tickets for this local event as one of my pictures had been selected in a competition for exhibition. Although it didn't win a prize as such, it was thrilling to be one of 140 paintings selected from several thousand for display in the festival gallery! I couldn't resist going to stand nearby and listen to people's comments.

Didn't realise there were so many amateur artists!

My 'Opium Poppies' on display and 'No' - I didn't notice the no photos sign!

Plants and flowers are a huge inspiration for many painters and as part of the festival I watched a demonstration by Ann Blockley, one of the guest artists who thrilled us all with her bold use of colour and brash techniques including washing half the paint off the paper into a bucket before continuing.

Anne Blockley demonstrating (apologies poor internet pic)

Autumn by Ann Blockley

I was also particularly gripped by the work of Vivienne Cawson  who also creates dramatic floral pictures, full of colour and vibrancy. I am hoping I can get into one of her workshops, held near here, before too long.

Anemones by Vivienne Cawson

Mixed hellebores by Vivienne Cawson

So how does painting and horticulture link? Does my past with plants and gardens make me a better painter or does the painting make me a better gardener? Who knows but either way, I enjoy dabbling with a paintbrush as much as my trowel these days.