elegance and flowers

Typo! cottage.

Cittage gardens should have no bare patches of earth showing, all the plants have to mingle ( so says DH who is a fanatic about it.)

I think the only way to get a truly "cottage" garden is to shove in any old thing any old where. Like they always used to. (And like my Granny's garden was)

Include the odd tomato plant and three or four lettuces. That kind of thing.

You need plenty of sun.

And don't forget the pot marigolds and nasturtiums.

Possibly lavender?

Roses! GandTea ???????

Love cottage gardens, but I do findthem difficult to get right. I am constantly moving mine around for instance next autumn I plan to swop around the phlox with geranium Rozanne as Rozanne isn't as tall as I thought.

Any suggestions please. We want a tall container to put by our new garden seat. We want plants that will give fragrance throughout the summer.

We have two garden beds filled with cottage garden plants, and they are my favourites out of the whole garden.

I agree with you BadenKate, it certainly would not have been my choice.

Exactly BB and in fact campions and foxgloves are native wild flowers.

I must admit I was with Kate Adie about cottage gardens. They are what I would ideally choose. Didn't like the one that won Best Garden at all - someone on the radio this morning described it as a garden they could imagine associated with a hotel.

A weed is only a plant in the wrong placerubysong

I watched a programme about Chelsea last night and wish these trendy designers wouldn't use so many weeds in their designs. I take out pink campion by the bucket load and certainly wouldn't be planting it. I have a lot of foxgloves and do leave some of them to flower but make sure they are taken out before they drop their seeds. I want to see gardens which have been planned to look like gardens, not areas of scrub from some exotic location. I like seeing the flower tent and some of the show gardens but some don't qualify as gardens IMHO.

Lovely pastel landscapes. Like the boats at Thornham - we'll be down there in July!

www.nelwhatmore.com/

Lovely work!

mumofmadboys I have not heard of her; tried googling her but can't find anything. Is there a website?

A bit sad, DD always gets me a ticket. Arthritic knee keeping me away this year so avidly watching tv programmes. More comfy and I don't miss plodding through crowds looking for somewhere to sit.
I have so many lovely memories of previous years. The fabulous flowers, the charm of the gardens, the Spirit of Islam reduced me to tears. Amazing people too, florist Simon Lycett in action, advice on basil from Jekka, the enthusiasm of Alan Gardner (The Autistic Gardener), Birmingham Parks people bursting with pride at their gold.
Who am I kidding? Waaaah, I wanna go!!

I always watched Gardeners World when Geoff Hamilton presented it he was a true gardener.

When he died I feel it lost its way and I didn't watch it for several years until Monty started presenting it.

And although I don't think any of the presenters are as good as Geoff was Monty does a great job.

Take all sorts, I love Carol. Would love to go to Chelsea, but the crowds put me off. We like the Tatton Park show, much more lay back and easy to get to/park.

Is anyone going to Chelsea? My favourite contemporary artist,N el What more is exhibiting there. I love her paintings, mainly flowers but also landscapes. Does anyone else know her work?

I agree that Carol Klein is irritating, but I do like her wakky disregard for how she looks when she's gardening.

whitewave; ginny

We laughed at Monty Don's suit as well. I prefer him to Alan Titchmarsh though who is just too precious to be believed.

Cleve West is my favourite designer but so far I haven't seen much that takes my breath away this year.

I thought Carol Klein's outfit was ghastly. The pattern made her look as though she was suffering from a nasty skin disease.

I shall be glued all week. I love Chelsea.

He is a bit scruffy but I do like him and his dog, Nigel.
Now Carol Klein is another matter, she really irritates me. I go and do something else whilst she is skipping about with an inane grin on her face.

Suits? I thought it was an old jacket from behind the kitchen door!