Chelsea September 2021
Chelsea Flower Show 2021 - In September!
Yes, that’s correct. For 2021 only, the Chelsea Flower Show has moved to the 4th week of September, and we have taken on the exciting challenge of growing for 6 of the 15 Show Gardens. Some are deferred from May, and others are brand new.
This is the first of a series of regular posts, charting our progress over the coming months.
''We are growing for 6 of the 15 show gardens''
Our current team has been growing plants for the traditional May Chelsea Flower Show for well over 15 years, and peonies and irises for over 25, and there are not many plants that we cannot get into flower for the third week of May. There are not many weather conditions and combinations that we have not encountered to make the process more difficult. Designers, from the highly experienced to the novice, and from the chilled & easy going, to the controlling divas, we have worked with them all!
However, the challenge of growing for a Chelsea garden for the end of September, let alone 6, is probably our greatest yet. Let us elaborate…
''What can go wrong?''
- At the end of September, most plants are on their last hurrah before going into autumn, and if it has been a hot dry summer, then this may happen much sooner, even in August. Most plants will be slowing down in September, rather than in the spring flush of growth that we see in May. How can we maintain the freshness and vigour in the plants we grow?
- The list of plants that flower in September is much smaller than a list of plants that flower in May, so the palette available to designers is considerably less. A garden worthy of the Chelsea Flower Show needs to rely on much more than “Salvias, Dahlias, Asters, and Grasses” (sic)
''Strong summer colours, and more difficult to design with''
- The colours of late summer and autumn are traditionally stronger reds, oranges, and yellows, in contrast to the delicate spring palate of pastels, creams, and whites. Those vibrant colours are more difficult to work with which makes the Designer’s job much more challenging.
- We rely on managing many different environments within the nursery in order to either bring plants on, or slow them down, all with the purpose of having every plant peak for the judges, the press, and The Royal Family. In the spring, we can deal with intensely changeable periods of hot, cold, sunny and dark weather by constantly moving plants around.
However, in the summer the weather tends to be less changeable, and in the event of a prolonged spell of hot dry weather with a high ambient temperature even in the shade, there is very little that we can do to cool plants down and prevent them from going over.
''We have some tricks up our sleeves''
- On the positive side, we are working with some of the UK’s most experienced Designers, who have given us some interesting and diverse plant lists to work with, and as growers we have quite a few tricks up our sleeves to produce these plants.
In our next post, we will talk in more detail about how plants have been chosen for the September Show, and we will also reveal which gardens we are growing for. Keep checking in!
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Posted by Liam Murphy
18th May 2021