Taken from Lynne’s weekly column ‘Green Scene’ for the Western Mail
28th May 2022
Chelsea Flower Show
It’s been Chelsea Flower Show week and again, I was fortunate enough to visit on Monday, the VIP Day, before the show opened to the public. It is an absolute privilege and I was able to catch up with come celebrity friends and make a few more.
Joanna Lumley always tried to persuade me to sell her my flowery boots and this year was no exception. She spotted me from about 10 yards away and purred, “Darling, are you ready to part with those divine boots yet?”
Ellie Harrison recognised me after our great but rather unexpected personal chat three years ago. She said, “I never forget a face – and never remember a name.” She did remember what we chatted about though, which was quite impressive.
Anneka Rice was her usual bubbly self, keen to mention that ‘Challenge Anneka’ is returning to our screens soon. She complemented me on my boots and headband saying, “You are perfectly dressed to run away with the circus and join me on Challenge Anneka.” I am still not sure if it was a compliment or not.
I caught up with Esther Rantzen and Vanessa Feltz as they wandered around together. Esther is a really keen gardener and has a smallholding with a few animals too. She has recently got a few sheep and is amazed by the ‘mess’ they make. When I suggested she utilised it as fertilizer she looked at me as though I was mad. Made sense to me. It’s great steeped in a big barrel of rainwater. I didn’t tell her that.
Over 30 years ago, I wrote to Vanessa asking her for advice on how to write for a newspaper. I was in my early 20’s and living in southern Ireland at the time. She wrote a lovely letter back with great advice arranged in bullet points. She is very concise and direct. I like that.
When I asked her husband Ben to take a photo of me, her and Esther, she replied sharply, “Just take a selfie.” I explained that I wasn’t very good at taking them and she retorted, “Learn. And quick.” She’s not rude, it’s just her way – and she was right.
I interviewed Amanda Holden next and getting my phone out of my pocket to take a photo, I told her that Vanessa had told me to ‘learn quickly’. Amanda laughed and said, “There are a few tips you should know for a good selfie.” And then proceeded to tell me what they are. I didn’t expect to ever receive ‘selfie tips’ from Amanda Holden. I have to say she was an absolute pleasure to talk to.
Christopher Biggins was an absolute sweetheart too. I look after a garden for a lovely gentleman and ex-actor who used to work a lot with ‘Biggins’. I asked Chris if ‘we’ could call Mack and surprise him. We did. It was magical. “Made my day”, chuckled Biggins, “I’ll have to tell Joan”, as he headed off for a birthday lunch with Joan Collins, who was 89 years old on Monday. She looked amazing and has a great presence. She politely refuses interviews (and who can blame her) but when a photographer in front of me asked if he could take her photo, she replied charmingly, “Darling, just take the bloody thing.”
It was also Jonny Ball’s birthday on Monday and he was on fine form too. Zoe Ball also had a quick chat as she rushed to listen to her son Woody DJ to the Music of the Plants. The plants are hooked up to a machine that turns their vibrations into music. I brought a machine back with me from Damanhur, Italy about 8 years ago and have given many a memorable talk/display with it. We couldn’t muster any interest eight years ago but it’s lovely to see it being appreciated now. Everything has it’s time.
As the sky went black, I heard a familiar voice to my left say, “It’s going to lash it down now.” Paul O Grady was fabulous to chat to and choked up a little when he told me how Buster, his still-much-missed dog, used to ‘help’ him in the garden by digging up the plants after he had planted them.
I had no idea that Stephen Merchant was so tall – and also lovely to talk too. He took our selfie as I hadn’t had the pep talk by Vanessa by then – and it’s easier from that height.
Katy Piper told me her grandparents are from Neath, Gemma Collins told me that she has a new fashion line at Next, Jodie Kidd proved she is a real gardener, doing all the work herself as she showed me her nails to prove it. And Fiona Bruce told me that The Antiques Road Show is in Wales soon.
Daisy, the Drag Queen Gardener, was actually studying horticulture and hoping to have her/his own garden at Chelsea in a few years time. And was also indicative of how Chelsea Flower Show has ‘grown’ over the ten years I’ve been going.
As I was leaving I spoke to Phillip Schofield who said he had just arrived. “Story of my life,” I joked. “Mine too – people always leave when I arrive.” he replied.
You will notice that most of the people I interviewed are over 60 – I didn’t recognise a lot of the younger celebrities and only interviewed Joe Sugg after hearing a passing couple say that he had been on Strictly. He was lovely and surprised his mother by being able to name an Agapanthus.
After chatting to a Line of Duty fan and friend later, I realised that I had seen Vicky McClure but hadn’t recognised her, as was the case with a few ‘new’ younger faces.
The sculpture of the young RAF pilot looking up to the sky on the RAF Benevolent Fund Garden was just breath taking and very similar in the ever-changing ghostly perception to our own Guardian of the Valleys overlooking Parc Arael Griffin in Six Bells.
Two other highlights included being approached by Welsh garden designers, Vic and Joe Wade from Swansea. We all designed and created a variety of gardens for the RHS Spring Show when it used to be held in Cardiff, years ago. They are a lovely couple and have recently designed and created the new community garden in Blaenavon, which was featured on The One Show.
And also Maria Viner recognised me despite us not having seen each other since primary school. Maria was responsible for The Mothers for Mothers show garden, This Too Shall Pass. Inspired by mental health challenges that come with post-natal depression, the journey to recovery was beautifully depicted by a fractured and delicately repaired pathway and the planting transitioning from soft, muted tones to vibrant, uplifting colours as wellbeing was restored. It was a favourite of Joan Collins.
The gardens were as stunning as always – obviously – but the funny thing is you actually see far more of them on the TV coverage of the show than actually being there. I thoroughly enjoy the coverage during the week and seeing all the ‘bits’ I missed. Having been in landscaping for over 30 years, I never fail to be in awe of the practicalities and sheer hard graft involved with creating these gardens. I always think the landscapers should get more recognition than they do.
And the fact that ‘Rewilding Britain’ won Best in Show was wonderfully reassuring, as so many parts of it resembled so many of my favourite ‘real’ gardens, including my own. Without the beavers of course.
You can hear all the interviews from this year’s Chelsea Flower Show in my Celebrity Interviews by clicking here.
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