How To Get Through Queen's Garden
Stuart C. Wilson - WPA Pool / Getty Images
The world-famous Chelsea Flower Show is back for another year with 28 gardens, and more than 100 plant displays and 500 exhibitors.
Dubbed the greatest gardening show in the world, Chelsea Flower Show attracts around 165,000 visitors every year, as well as a slew of stars, including famous faces from the world of horticulture, A-list celebrities, and royalty.
For the first time, Stephen Bennett, former RHS shows director, spoke to The Telegraph about life behind the scenes at the greatest flower show on earth and shaking hands with members of the royal family. Here's what he had to say:
The Queen Mother
The late Queen Mother was apparently quite fond of the floral displays in the marquee. Stephen told the newspaper: 'She did her homework in advance and knew exactly which exhibitors to consult and what plants she wanted for her gardens. She loved proper old-fashioned scented roses, which she would choose carefully then take up to Scotland for the gardens at Balmoral.'
ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images
The Queen
Stephen, who worked for the RHS for 28 years before leaving at the end of 2013, said the Queen has only ever missed Chelsea twice. 'Like the Queen Mother who loved plants and gardens, the Queen is incredibly knowledgeable,' he said.
This is a similar sentiment echoed by the Rich brothers, who told us about meeting the monarch in 2013 after she went to visit their show garden. 'The Queen was wonderful and really knowledgeable,' Harry and David told House Beautiful. 'We ended up talking about bumble bees, which she knows lots about.'
RHS / Luke MacGregor
Princess Margaret
The late Princess Margaret was said to have often tested Stephen with 'difficult, pointed questions' about plants and etiquette.
Tim Graham/Getty Images
Prince Charles
Stephen calls him the keenest gardener of the royals, and we're not surprised. Charles recently revealed gardening was a passionate hobby of his and he recently redesigned some of his gardens to make them more child-friendly.
He has also passed on his green-fingered nature to Prince George, revealing his grandson has helped to dig 'a tree or two' in his Gloucestershire home. 'You never know, do you, what people are going to be interested in,' said Prince Charles on BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time. 'The most important thing is I got him planting a tree or two here, so we planted it together and shovelled in the earth.'
Sang Tan/WPA Pool/Getty Images
Princess Diana
Stephen says the Princess of Wales 'didn't know much about gardening' but he once recalls her high heels 'sinking into the lawn' at a show, to which he told her: 'When in a garden ma'am, one should be smart only from the ankles up.'
In fact, in 1989 Diana admitted to exhibitors, 'I cannot grow them and I cannot pronounce their names either', explaining that while she loved flowers and plants, that was Prince Charles' department.
Anwar Hussein/WireImage Getty Images
Prince Harry
Stephen says Harry has been 'bitten by the Chelsea bug' ever since his charity Sentebale created show gardens in 2013 and in 2015. Recalling Harry's first visit to Chelsea, Stephen said: 'I introduced him to some of the growers and garden designers and he became engaged and enthusiastic, taking an interest in the plants and the people and starting to plan his own future as a gardener.'
Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images
Chelsea Flower Show 2017: expected royals
The Queen will be back once again but this year is set to be extra special, as it will form part of Prince Philip's 'Farewell Tour.' The Duke of Edinburgh announced earlier this month that he will retire from public engagements in the summer at the age of 96.The Queen and Prince Philip will be given a tour of the gardens later today (22 May), one day before it officially opens to the public. They will be shown around a selection of displays by Sir Nicholas Bacon, president of the Royal Horticultural Society.
Also in attendance will be Kate Middleton. Just days after attending her sister Pippa Middleton's wedding to James Matthews, the Duchess of Cambridge will resume her public duties at the event. Other royals expected to visit include Princess Alexandra, The Duchess of Gloucester and The Duke of Gloucester.
RHS / Luke MacGregor
Get inspiration, ideas and advice wherever you are! Follow us on Facebook: House Beautiful UK | Pinterest: House Beautiful UK | Twitter: @HB | Instagram: @housebeautifuluk
Olivia Heath Executive Digital Editor, House Beautiful UK Olivia Heath is the Executive Digital Editor at House Beautiful UK where she's busy uncovering tomorrow's biggest home trends, all whilst delivering stylish room inspiration, small space solutions, easy garden ideas and house tours of the hottest properties on the market.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
How To Get Through Queen's Garden
Source: https://www.housebeautiful.com/uk/garden/a1755/chelsea-flower-show-royal-family-queen/
Posted by: araizatheasked.blogspot.com
0 Response to "How To Get Through Queen's Garden"
Post a Comment