Its that Time of Year Again, Gardeners World Live 2013

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This is our 10th year going, I think the first time we went was 2003 and then we missed one year but all the rest we have been to since then, it is a day out that me and hubby enjoy together. Again we did have a great day just wandering around at our leisure and taking in all the sights. They had done things slightly different this year they had the Plant Malls outside which are normally inside and there didnt seem as many show gardens, as we looked around them we felt as if we hadnt seen them all and there should have been more and we even checked the show guide to make sure we had seen all of them!

We had a look around the Good Food area first so that we could concentrate on the plants after, Im not too bothered about this side of it but still its good to see whats on offer, then we went around the outside Plant Malls before going into the Floral Marquee.

I did feel that although there were obviously loads of plants to buy, I was just looking for something a bit different that might stand out and did struggle really to find something a bit special, I was actually looking for some Agastache and knew that Cath’s Garden Plants sold these on their website but they did not have any on their stand and was also looking for some good ground cover plants like hardy geraniums but again nothing stood out and the ones that were on offer I already had similar. I also intended to buy one or two geums but I couldnt decide which ones to buy so didnt in the end.

Anyway, I did find a few things and bought:-

Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’
Briza media ‘Golden Bees’ (OH chose this one)
Aruncus ‘Misty Lace’
Diascia ‘Little Dazzler’
Persicaria microcephala ‘Red Dragon’
and 6 alpine plants for a new pot we have to plant up (names are very long).

Here are some of the photos I took although I did not really take many, and I also saw a butterfly farm and took a few of those.

Then some of the show gardens:-

I thought he was quite cute! :)

I did not take any photos in the floral marquee but I took one of the plants I bought:-

I didnt see which garden won best in show, but usually find this out when it is aired on TV but it wasnt on this year which was disappointing but I hope you enjoy my blog and thankyou for looking :))
Perhaps Bornagain can let me know which won ‘best in show’. :))

25 Jun, 2013
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Seaburngirl

i also went but struggled to find anything extra special. though I did get a few plants.
I was disappointed with the show gardens if i'm honest.

26 Jun, 2013

Daylily

Hi Seaburngirl, yes I think I was too its not until you get back you start thinking and although there was quite a few there it didnt seem as busy as previous years :)

26 Jun, 2013

Bornagain

Hi Daylily, I don't think this show will continue unless they improve it. I shan't be going next year if it's the same.
Got these result off RHS website and, to be honest, the 'metamorhosis garden' idea says everything I don't like about garden shows now. I just want to see lovely planting ideas and new gardenworthy plants, beauty to make my heart sing, not silly pseudo psychologicical mumbo jumbo ideas, it's getting like the Turner prize lol and brings out my inner curmudgeon:-))
The award for Best Show Garden goes to The Austerity Garden, designed by Jade Goto and Armando Raish. Dramatic spiny and succulent plants such as Agave and Aloe look impressive growing by simple yet sophisticated seating. The garden shows how you can create a big impact using affordable materials.

Owen Morgan's Woke from Troubled Waters is the best Metamorphosis garden. Owen wanted to demonstrate emotional as well as physical change and Owen realises this through contrasting garden styles.

Best Birmingham Border is Elspeth Stockwell's Beating the Doldrums.The wave of tall wildflowers such as columbine and poppies blow elegantly in the wind.

Indoors, Birmingham City Council won Best Floral Exhibit with Enlightenment, celebrating the opening of the Library of Birmingham and Birmingham's authors and poets including J R R Tolkien.

How funny that I took pics inside the Flora Marquee in the main. Our blogs compliment each others well:-))
I only put 1 pic of a show garden on and that was because I saw a plant, new to me, which I liked, the lysimachia Beaujolais. Now Oliveoil tells me on my blog that it's not hardy ....oh well. I also didn't see the butterfly farm! Remember how we missed most of the show gardens the other year at Malvern, I need a guide when i go to these places lol.
Thanks for putting these pics on, I enjoyed seeing what I missed. I bought a few diascias, fantastic little plants:-)

26 Jun, 2013

Hywel

I'm glad you enjoyed your day. You bought some very nice plants :o)
I enjoyed looking at the photos. I could never get to it.

26 Jun, 2013

Daylily

Hi BA, thanks very much for the info, and yes its funny we took the opposite things in photos, I agree totally about the gardenworthy plants and planting ideas, I did actually buy one of those lysimachia beaujolais once from Ashwoods quite a few years ago but it didnt survive winter but you never know :) Just trying to figure out where to plant all my newbie plants now :) I was told that the diascias would survive winter but Im a bit dubious about that one :)

I think I would like to try a different show one of these days but I suppose most of the exhibitors would be the same, or one of those rare plant fairs :)

Hi Hywel, thank you very much, I know theres lots of places/gardens I would like to visit, maybe one day :)

26 Jun, 2013

Bornagain

All my diascias survived last winter Daylily, I think as long as they're not waterlogged they're ok, I love them:-))

26 Jun, 2013

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Its that Time of Year Again, Gardeners World Live 2013

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