And so The Journey Begins…

Well it’s confirmed, “We’re on our way to Chelsea 2014!”

In 2008, as a newly qualified Garden Designer, I designed and built my very first show garden and it was very well received.

First RHS show, second incarnation of the garden, at Tatton Park 2008. Photo courtesy of Tatsuya Shirai
With only 10 days notice we still achieved an RHS Silver Medal.

During our first show, at the East of England Show Ground, I had a conversation with an RHS judge.  Ever since then I have had a desire to, and have been encouraged to, apply to exhibit at Chelsea.

So I did, Twice!

I had applied to create a small garden @ Chelsea on two occasions, firstly in 2010 and again in 2013.  Due to an injury on one occasion and the lack of sponsorship on another, I had to withdraw my applications.

Was this going to be third time lucky? Well, yes it was!!!

And so The Journey Begins…

Well it actually began in earnest way back in June when Sarah Horne and I started putting our application together.

I first met Floral Designer, Sarah Horne at one of her flower schools, in November 2012.

It was sheer luck that I ended up at her flower school.  I’d walked past her shop one day and been absolutely awestruck by the fantastic floral designs in the window.  Whilst out for a walk one evening, with my husband Darren, we passed Sarah’s’ shop and I dragged him back to take a look.  He noticed the poster on the shop door announcing a flower school the following morning.  Just on the off chance that there may be a space I rang up first thing in the morning.  There was a space and the rest, as they say, is history!

I thoroughly enjoyed the lesson; Sarah made it so easy for even the most inexperienced among us that we all went away with beautiful floral displays.  It wasn’t long before Sarah and I started to talk about the desire we both shared to exhibit at Chelsea.

It wasn’t as though Sarah hadn’t exhibited at Chelsea before; she had, on numerous occasions, running away with a bucket load of medals including a number of RHS Chelsea Gold medals and Chelsea Florist of the Year 2011, for her fabulously imaginative floral creations.

Regardless of all this success Sarah still had a yearning to take on the challenge of one of large stands in the Great Pavilion.  Well Sarah, in May 2014, we will have just that opportunity!

Exhibiting in the Great Pavilion had never occurred to me.  As a garden designer, I had always thought that my only opportunity was to enter the small gardens categories.  I wasn’t aware of the designing opportunities within the Great Pavilion.

Discussing our ideas…

When Sarah and I sat down one evening to actually discuss the kind of things we had in mind, it became apparent quite quickly that we were both singing from the same hymn sheet.  The inspiration for both of us had come initially from Shakespeare’s ‘Mid Summers Night Dream’!  We had both envisaged some kind of structure that one went into or under which was not dark, dank and spooky but inviting and enchanting like Titanias’ Bower.

Being inspired both by Shakespeare and the beautiful surroundings of the town of Royal Leamington Spa our exhibit ‘The Garden Town of Shakespeareland’ was born.

The Design…

Our aim is to create an enchanting exhibit which captures the essence of the town of Royal Leamington Spa.   Its smart Regency exterior, its individual character and it’s artistic, cultural and theatrical interior, with a strong influence from Shakespeare’s ‘Mid Summer Night’s Dream’

It will have planting to reflect the different areas of Leamington with corresponding floral pods, each encapsulating a different style.

It will of course also contain a large water element to reflect the river, lake and fountains associated with this beautiful Spa town.

The main objective is to promote the beautiful town of Royal Leamington Spa and pave the way for future plans to reinstate the annual flower festival and other gardening events.

We will then ‘Bring Chelsea Home’ to Leamington with the structural elements of the exhibit establishing a permanent home  in Leamington’s Pump Room Gardens and a becoming the focal point of future garden and flower themed events.

As the exhibit has a strong Shakespearean theme we are hoping to invite actors from the RSC to attend on press day, dressed in appropriate costume.

Where we’re at….

With the design almost honed the task is on to source all the materials and plants.  As collaboration between town centre businesses and the local community, we will be appealing to you for help to put our town on the ‘Floral Map’.

If you would like to be involved in any way, no matter how small or would just like to offer your support, please visit our website http://www.bloomingleamington.com when it goes live in the very near future and become a friend of Blooming Leamington.

Watch this space for progress reports!