Australian Team Brings Change to Chelsea Flower Show

Since 1913, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show has been held on the grounds of the Chelsea Hospital, and it used to be Britain’s largest flower show.

However, even though it may not be the largest (overtaken by Hampton Court), it is still well attended, and this year was no different.

From May 21-25, attendees visited a variety of show gardens, artisan gardens, fresh gardens and the great pavilion.

And one Australian team brought an end to an era by winning “Best in Show” for the first time.

The Trailfinders Australian Garden by Fleming’s Nurseries walked away with a gold medal and the “Best in Show” title.

The garden featured sustainable landscaping with an urban setting by implementing a studio structure into a natural setting. Native Australian plants were used throughout.

Watch an interview with designer, Phil Johnson, from Phillip Johnson Landscapes, here.

Other Awards:

Best Artisan Garden went to the Japanese garden, An Alcove (Tokonoma) Garden for their depiction of a traditional tatami room.

For the Fresh Gardens, After the Fire took the Best Fresh Garden award with their interpretation of a forest regeneration.

The People’s Choice for Show Garden went to the Arthritis Research UK Garden and Le Jardin de Yorkshire for the small gardens.

In the Great Pavilion the Diamond Jubilee Award went to Warmenhoven for their display of alliums and amaryllis. The President’s Award went to  Blackmore & Langdon for their delphinium and begonia display.

Other awards

• RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year 2013: Mahonia eurybrachteata subsp. ganpinensis ‘Soft Caress’
• Best RHS Environment Exhibit: University of Nottingham
• RHS Young Chelsea Florist of the Year: Paula McLagan, Something Special Flowers
• RHS Chelsea Florist of the Year: Laura Leong, Moulton College
• Best Floral Arrangement (Session 1): Barbara Collier
• Best Floral Arrangement (Session 2): Stephen McDonnell

Show Garden medals

Gold

• Trailfinders Australian Garden by Fleming’s (Best Show Garden)
• The Arthritis Research UK Garden
• The Brewin Dolphin Garden
• The Laurent-Perrier Garden
• East Village Garden
• The Homebase Garden – ‘Sowing the seeds of change’ in association with Alzheimer’s Society
• The Wasteland
• The M&G Centenary Garden – ‘Windows through Time’
• RBC Blue Water Roof Garden
• The Telegraph Garden

Silver-Gilt

• B&Q Sentebale Forget-Me-Not Garden
• The SeeAbility Garden
• Stockton Drilling’s ‘As Nature Intended Garden’

Silver

• Stop the Spread
• Stoke-on-Trent’s Story of Transformation