Chelsea Flower Show

I have really enjoyed the coverage of the Chelsea Flower show on the BBC this year. I used to live directly opposite the Royal Hospital grounds where the flower show takes place every year and it never ceases to amaze me how something so big is created from nothing and how it is impossible to tell that anything of that size was ever there for the rest of the year. I watched this year as adults received medals for their exhibits, their faces creasing into tears (of relief mainly) when receiving the highly sort after Gold. The immense release of pressure after at least a year's work. Two highlights for me were involving children: one was a nine year old who had his own allotment and grew his wn veg. The other was a school that were experts in the field of orchid growing, young people involved in the propagation, research and business side of selling. Fascinating and inspiring.

Interesting Fact No.1: Rule 2.25 of the Chelsea Flower Show regulations bans entrants from including garden gnomes in their displays. Bunting, balloons and flags are also banned.
Well, I never knew that. However...

A gnome has been secretly smuggled into the famously gnome-unfriendly RHS Chelsea Flower Show in a prank staged by a BBC radio reporter.

The Today Programme reporter sneaked in the gnome, dubbed Nicholas, yesterday and photographed him on exhibits in the Great Pavilion and in show gardens.

The RHS prohibits the use of gnomes by exhibitors in show gardens, along with ‘brightly coloured creatures’ and 'materials exuding a foul or unpleasant odour'. The sport of gnome-smuggling has become something of a Chelsea tradition ever since.