Chelsea Flower Show
23/05/2024
It’s the highlight of the UK’s horticultural calendar and Barton Grange team members were there to discover the latest trends in garden design and planting combinations.
Ryan, Ash, Louise and Sam made the trip to London to visit the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024 on Wednesday 22nd May. The weather might have been a little overcast, but the flowers were blooming and the displays dazzling.
“It was an incredible day,” says Gardening and Wildlife Manager Ryan. “The concepts behind the show gardens were fascinating. We all learnt so much from the amazing displays and came away from the event with new and innovative ideas that we are keen to share in the garden centre.”
Key trends for 2024 included lots of water features in streams, ponds and pools. Sustainability continues to be an important theme including planting more trees and plants that are resilient to climate change. There was also an array of colourful planting with bright clashing combinations.
Let’s hear from the team about some of their 2024 highlights:
Sam – Senior Display Assistant
“I loved Verdant Visions by Plants By There. This retro houseplant display was contemporary, colourful, sensory, tactile, and featured hanging glitter ball planters! I also really enjoyed looking at the shop frontages in Sloane Square with their creative fresh flower and plant displays designed to celebrate the show.”
Ash – Senior Greenhouse Assistant
“The Changing Tides Garden by Lucy Mitchell was a real highlight for me. It’s inspired by rare shingle habitats and used coastal plants and galvanized planters to create a rustic, relaxing environment. I loved the way it celebrated the resilient plants that have adapted to the harsh coastal conditions. I was also really impressed by The Cape Floral Kingdom South African exhibit which showcased a selection of protea and heathers.”
Louise – Senior Houseplant Assistant
“I was really impressed with the variegated monstera deliciosa ‘split leaf philodendron’ with pure white anthurium and dendrobium orchid running through it. I was also inspired by The Upcycled Botanical: Making Small Spaces Beautiful Studio which showed how you can repurpose furniture to incorporate houseplants into a small modern home. Overall, I was really inspired by the quality of the plant displays and floristry. The attention to detail is incredible.”
Ryan – Gardening and Wildlife Manager
“My favourite show garden was The Water Saving Garden by Sam Proctor. I really liked the design ideas and use of stylish water butts. It highlighted the importance of saving and reusing rainwater, focussing on rain or grey water harvesting storage and re-use systems. It featured interconnected sleek planters fed with rainwater and many ingenious solutions that blended seamlessly into a contemporary garden setting.”
Bringing our inspirations back
Inspired by Chelsea
Every year we bring back pots of inspiration from our trip to Chelsea Flower Show and we’re thrilled to unveil a new room in our outdoor plant area. This vibrant space showcases our favourite plant combinations from 2024 which will brighten up your summer garden, patio and containers. Highlights include stunning Hydrangeas, regal Delphinium, lush Fatsia Japonica, beautiful Buddleja and striking Salvias.
New Rose Now In Store
Just launced at The Chelsea Flower Show this year is the David Austin Emma Bridgewater rose. This new variety is now available to purchase in store!
Step into Splendour
Inspired by The Bridgerton Garden at The Chelsea Flower Show, we’ve created our own special display to evoke the elegance and romance of the hit Netflix series. Our selection includes sophisticated Rehmannia Walberton, majestic Lupins ‘Masterpiece’, romantic Wisteria, striking Digitalis ‘Dalmatian White’, charming Campanula and delightful Hostas. At the heart of the design is a large ornamental feature overflowing with trailing flowers to add a touch of Regency splendour.
‘Lady Penelope’ – Nemesia
Introducing our latest diamond, we have a new bicolour variant of nemesia or rather “Viscountess Bloomington”, featuring delicate pink and white petals with a striking yellow throat. This tender perennial boasts a strong fragrance and an extended flowering period. With its upright habit and numerous flowering branches, it produces larger blooms than traditional varieties, making it an ideal choice for summer containers and borders. This Lady Penelope is no wallflower!
