NEWS EXTRA


GARDENS A


fter a very wreak slow


start to the season, which to


threatened havoc


for some growers, the sun shone for


the week of the famous gardening show and around 168,000 visitors flooded through the gates of the Royal Hospital Chelsea to take in the horticultural trends, get some outdoor inspiration and take home a piece of the show – looking to buy anything from packets of seeds and garden tools, to water features and sculptures. The show gardens attracted plenty of attention, as always, with visitors clamouring to see impressive horticultural displays from award-winning designs like Chris Beardshaw and Sarah Price. This certainly proved fruitful for


The Supershoes Garden in partnership with Frosts, showcased bold colours, bright lupins and emotive sculptures


garden tool brand Burgon & Ball, whose stand always occupies a prime spot on Main Avenue, right near all the excitement. “It’s a spot that works very well for us,” said PR & communications manager Alison Edwards. “It’s so convenient for everything – you get people moving from the show gardens but it’s also handy for people coming out of the Great Pavilion; plus you have to go past us to cut through to the Artisan gardens.” And, the gardens on show this


year, seemed to put people in a good frame of mind. “There weren’t as many show gardens last year


and, instead there was a lot more emphasis on landscaping, which some people found disappointing,” said Alison, adding: “This year, there were plenty of gardens and it’s really cheered them up.” The fantastic horticultural displays, coupled with good weather, meant people were really in the mood to browse the trade stands and spend money. “The weather was absolutely perfect for shopping,” she said. “When it’s raining, it’s just miserable but if it’s too hot, people just want to find shade and sit down with an ice cream. This year was just right and, although


From bright blooms and rust-tones, to gardening for wellbeing and the environment, there was plenty to take inspiration from at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Fiona Garcia reports.


GALORE


last year was still a good show for us, sales were really up this year.”


Winning products There was also huge interest in Burgon & Ball’s latest launch, the Wonder Weed Puller, which was shortlisted for the RHS Chelsea Garden Product of the Year at this year’s show. “We had a great feature in The Daily Telegraph on the Tuesday and people were actually turning up clutching the clipping from the newspaper and saying ‘I want this tool’. It’s such a simple product but it’s gone down a storm,” said Alison.


For the first time, this year, the


RHS created a big stand at the centre of the Great Pavilion to showcase all of the finalists of the Product of the Year. The site, which used to be occupied by Hillier Garden Centres’ exhibit every year, was a prime spot and got a lot of attention from visitors, which the companies featured really benefited from and said they saw a huge boost in interest and sales of the products on display. Mr Fothergill’s


Seeds product


manager David Turner said the firm was delighted that its Optigrow seed range took home the prestigious title of Chelsea Garden Product of the Year and, as a result, had queues the length of its stand, with visitors wanting to purchase the award-winning product. The RHS show regular really captured the imagination of the judges and visitors alike with the seed range, which features a patented, chemical- free treatment that produces quicker germination. “Seeds are an easy take-away from a show like Chelsea because they’re not bulky and are easy to carry around,” added David, who said Chelsea is always a great show for the business. Another finalist in the running


for Chelsea’s Product of the Year was Bosch. The German power tool


8 DIY WEEK 15 JUNE 2018 www.diyweek.net


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