Chelsea Flower Show.

I haven't seen anything I really like either apart from Cleve West's whose gardens are always amazing. James Basson's Provencale garden was very similar to the one he did last year.

Jekka McVicar got a silver gilt - I think her garden deserved gold.

One criticism I would like to make is that the BBC looks at a garden, it describes the structure in detail but not the planting. So I can see some glorious colours, but no idea of the plants used, what is next to what how many per square metre etc.

I thought the winning garden this year was ugly, not realy a garden but a building site

I agree Annie. I liked the Mathematical Garden and the Yorkshire one. The health one was lovely too. Can't remember who designed what but it was the one with the rounded pebble paths and overflowing water feature.
A lot of the gardens looked a bit arid to me. Lots of stone and dry earth.

I also thought Jekka McVicar's garden deserved a gold. I think my favourite is the Morgan Stanley Great Ormond Street garden, then the mathematics garden, but I was also very taken with the Viking Cruises Mekong Garden. I could see myself lounging in that boat thing! I was disappointed with the Gods Own County garden. I don't really know how the planting was relative, and I wasn't sure I liked the structure either, except for the stained glass. Difficult brief really.

I'm disappointed too. I agree that's there is too much emphasis on hard landscaping and not enough on the plants, and when is Diurmid (?) Gavin going to stop playing with gimmicks. Revolving bay trees, window boxes going up and down. In the past he planted coloured plastic balls on sticks! He's very talented and should use his talent on making a beautiful garden.
My other complaint is that the BBC just keep showing the same large gardens, what about the small artisan and fresh gardens which are often more interesting.

DG seems to have courted controversy again this year for siting his rusty old corrugated iron shed on the perimeter of his plot so that it appeared to be part of someone else's show garden. Pistols at dawn, by the sound of it!

At last, a look at the small gardens. My favourite was the Japanese designer's front garden with car port and roof garden. It had everything, so pretty.

Now, a gripe. Why does every presenter have to say "supported by M&G Investments" I thought the BBC didn't advertise, that's why we pay a licence fee. Not happy with that.

I have never been to the CFS (in real life) I do Iove the TV coverage of all the RHS flower shows and have been to Hampton Court and Tatton Park a few times.

Watching the coverage of the CFS this week I have to say I am disappointed. Too much hard landscaping (paving) and the likes and not enough real gardens. It all seemed too crowded and ordinary visitors probably wouldn't get a look in.

Anyone want to wager that Grason Perry has some kind of influence in a garden in the next few years?

I have tickets for Tatton in July and hope that it's better.

I don't think this has been the best Chelsea. Quite disappointing in fact.
I suppose the structure is important, but this seems to dominate over what for me are the star's which are the plants.

This is the first Chelsea coverage that I haven't been glued to all week. I'm pleased there is now a constructor's award because they are often the unsung heroes of some stunning gardens but I hope this doesn't mean there will be more emphasis on the hard landscaping in future.

I have been a few times (we were very lucky to get free tickets) and have always liked the small, 'artisan' gardens best - some have invariably been enchanting. I never like the very minimalist, hyper modern ones, though this is down to,personal taste, I know.

Last time I went I took a friend who had never been. It was supposed to be a treat for someone who'd been through difficult times, but it was so disappointing. It was chilly, and raining on and off, and we could not find ANYwhere undercover to have lunch. Many people inc. us were sheltering under trees to eat food from stalls. If I had paid for tickets and spent a lot on getting there (neither in our case) I would have been really angry. The organisers KNOW the weather in May is not reliable - why do they not provide more sheltered places to eat? Anywhere we found, there was a 'waiting list' of an hour! And hardly anywhere to get undercover, except the big marquee, which was absolutely heaving with other people wanting to be out of the rain.

Chelsea can be lovely on a good day, but free or not I will never go again - apart from anything else it is invariably terribly crowded. I much prefer Hampton Court - infinitely more space, much the same things, or even more, and in July it's at least a lot less likely to be so chilly. I would choose HC over Chelsea any day.

All the posts have just wetted my curiosity about the show. We are on holiday, but I set up our humax to record the whole thing, fingers crossed that all is well, and I can have a fest of watching when we get home. After the laundry has been done of course.

I fancy going to the Malvern Flower show next year, which is just a couple of weeks before Chelsea.

Perhaps it could be a meet-up for interested GNetters who live fairly locally?

WE went to Malvern a few years ago, disappointed, very few show gardens, mostly trade stands. Tatton Park is a better show IMO, Easy to get to and you can park free on site. Plenty of space so it is not as crowded as Chelsea or Hampton Court.

Never been - and it doesn't appeal to me. I am a very keen gardener and love nothing more than visiting beautiful gardens and botanical gardens- which have a long history and a continuity of planting- the thought of tons and tons of materials being shipped from all over the country and other parts of the world- and the massive waste- just for a few days- really puts me off- makes no sense at all to me.