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Our nursery was based outside the dome and consisted of thousands of plants which were sourced across the filming period. Week one’s task was to create giant pollinators using pollinator friendly plants and moving forward we selected various themed collections from coastal options to evergreens. We purchased from a variety of nurseries, large and small. Some came from Holland, but I felt it was important for us to support smaller local nurseries too and so, for example, I sourced hydrangeas from Cook’s Garden Centre in Worcestershire, some young vegetable and salad plants from Dawn Nurseries in Cheltenham, nerines from Hillview Hardy Plants in Shropshire, Crocosmia from Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants in Hampshire and a large quantity of Heuchera from Plantagogo in Cheshire. Watering during such a warm summer kept everyone on their toes, we had bowsers and long hose pipes and a local man who helped us out when we were away from set. (Although I might add that the site was never empty as we had 24 hour security to guard everything, should someone want to make off with a mighty mammal.)
We stayed in local hotels and were on site Monday-Friday from as early as 6am until some nights 10pm. Contestants had around 10- 16 hours across 2-3 days to complete their constructions, many feet tall and wide featuring hundreds of plants. Of course, they had to construct using metal, wood and a variety of materials – this was mega multi-tasking. Thankfully excellent catering on site kept them and us well fed and watered.
The results were outstanding and awe-inspiring from a wild boar made of grasses, to thrones good enough to eat. The last week really reached the dizzy heights as the scaffolding came
out for the sky high fairy tale sculptures. I put aside my fear of heights and climbed alongside the beanstalk as it’s not every day you get to do this.
When the structures were dismantled, we aimed to recycle/re- home or re-use as much as possible in the following weeks. Some plants found new homes via contact with the House of Wayward Plants – the official plant recycling scheme for RHS Chelsea and others were planted at the estate after we left.
Head judge was the flamboyant fashionably fabulous American florist Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht. He was joined by a different guest judge every week – namely some of this country’s most respected horticulturalists, most of whom I have had the pleasure of working with many times before. These included the charming charismatic Cotswolds based James Alexander Sinclair, RHS Chelsea’s most decorated designer Sarah Eberle and florist extraordinaire Simon Lycett. They would analyse each creation and after in depth discussions, one team would be sent home until only three teams were left standing for the final. The winners would then get the chance to create a temporary horticultural sculpture at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in 2020. This fabulous creation has just been revealed and is open to the public for a limited time right now!
I can’t tell you who won as you’ll have to watch – but I can tell you they were awarded the largest rosette I have ever seen! Head to Netflix for this 8 part series – with all this extra time on our hands, you’ll be creating giant animals on your lawn and swirling around in hydrangea skirts in no time.
LIVE24-SEVEN.COM
THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE CAMI L LA BAS S E T T - SMI TH
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