Best Dibleys display i've seen yet!

Hope the picture stays, as i'm going to delete it from my pictures. It's not one i've taken, it's from the newsletter from Dibleys. Wanted to put the picture up to show how good their display is here. Hope it's ok to use a picture in my blog that i hadn't taken myself!

I see it's disappeared, blow. Never mind, if you want to see the picture it is also on their web site: www.dibleys.com Also there is a picture of Joe Swift and BBC Wales at the stand. I don't know how long they leave the pictures on their site, a while a guess as i'm sure they are proud of their achievements.

Mark I always thought that the stands/ gardens at Chelsea were sold off at the end of the event.
I know what you mean about the huge crowds that flock to Chelsea not my cup of tea at all although give me a small village fete any day! Hel.xxx.

What a size that Begonia is that Joe Swift is looking at !!!

I agree about Chelsea on the tv. They seem to concentrate too much on those designed gardens for my liking, and not enough on the stands of plants. I'm interested in cacti and also fuchsias but they just skim past these. I don't watch all the programmes because of this. I find the designed gardens rather stiff, and there seems to be hardly any plants in some of them.

I watched all the TV coverage of Chelsea and Wednesday was the day they focused on plants. There were several displays form the Floral Marquee featured that day

I didn't see it that day. I was fed up with the designed gardens which I find can be boring after a while, ( and Alan Titchmarsh is irritating !! )

Helofadigger, you're probably right about selling off after the show. Small shows, less crowds, much more enjoyable any day.
Weemamabell, it certainly is a fair sized Begonia that is in Joe Swift's picture. Wonder if it was coincedence that Miss Wales was at Chelsea, in the picture with a Welsh nursery!
Andrewr / Blodyn, i'm afrain i was also fed up with the gardens and had stopped watching, so missed the show that had the Floral Marque featured. Pity, i would have liked to have seen that one. I know that my friend Stan finds Alan Titchmarsh irritating, i don't mind him in small doses - couldn't watch him regularly though.

I suppose Alan Titchmarsh is alright in small doses - The smaller the better !!

I'm off to Gardening Scotland 2008 this weekend (the RHS' Scottish equivalent of Chelsea. I thought Chelsea this year had loads of totallly achievable ideas for any average garden, and enjoyed all the TV coverage. Will hopefully see some more great ideas this weekend. I also really enjoy seeing more fruit and veggies, and work by/for children, at these shows. The RHS is also being seen to be thinking in a more environmentally-friendly way now. Also, I don't mind wee Mr Titchmarsh, or any celebrity/Tv gardener, at all. They're always so approachable, friendly and "down to earth" unlike many from other backgrounds.

For anyone that is really interested in the gardens i'm sure Chelsea is of great interest, but myself i really enjoy seeing the plants in The Floral Marque. I do like a look at gardens, but soon get bored of them at shows, whereas the stands and displays in the Floral Marque i could watch all day (if i had time). Just seems a shame so much emphasis is on the gardens and so little on the displays in the Marque. As for the presenters i do like most, Joe Swift - Monty Don - Carol Klien being my favorite as she always seems full of enthusiasm and shows her excitement at the displays. Alan Titchmarsh i don't mind for so long, but there's just something about him that i find irritating after a while - i'm not even sure what it is myself- But i know my friend Stan will turn the TV off if Mr Titchmarsh is on!

on another topic, Mark, I've now got my collection of Wizard of Oz-themed begonias. They are, of course, small yet, but are looking fantastic. I love the metallic colours. Terry Tasker, of stbegonias on Merseyside, told me on the 'phone that the one called "Dorothy" is, apart from his own, the only other plant in the UK as far as he is aware. He got the plant from an American friend last year. I feel so honoured to have this one, it is already the most cared-for plant of them all - what a responsibility!! Will post pics when I get my internet access up and running again at home.

David - I've heard of Terry Tasker from the Begonia Society booklets, his wife is usually mentioned too (i think she's Shirley, but don't quote me on that). They have some wonderful foilage Begonias, i've looked at some pictures on the society website.
How exciting to have one of only two plants in the country! Looking forward to seeing your pictures.

Hi Mark. Yes, Terry and Shirley Tasker (the "st" in stbegonias),of Southport, Merseyside.They have the National Collection. They are the nicest people I've ever bought plants from, and the little begonias I got are the healthiest plants I've got by mail/courier delivery in years, complete with a very in-depth leaflet on growing on. Mrs Tasker even left a message on our home 'phone to let me know that the plants were en route (great service). As I did not have e-mail facility when they arrived, I 'phoned to thank them, and was there for well over half-an-hour. They are doing some marvellous conservation work at the moment, helping to save a very old begonia collection (the MacIntyre) at Glasgow's Botanic Gardens, from dying out completely. Will write a piece shortly about the "Oz" collection. Best Wishes!