photo: telegraph.co.uk
This year the RHS Chelsea Flower Show has several special exhibits to honour the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The Queen is the show’s Royal Patron and has visited every year since 1971. The great Pavilion will show an exhibition of photographs of the Queen at Chelsea show. The images have been collated from the archives of the RHS Lindley library and will include photos from the Queens earlier years through to her recent visits.
The RHS holds a collection of Royal Autographs on botanical artwork. Two new autographs have been added to the collection this year, on display in the RHS Life section. One signed by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and one signed by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. The RHS has received royal patronage since 1816 and the collection celebrates this royal connection.
A large floral bed has been designed to welcome the Queen to Chelsea in her Jubilee year. The exhibit by St Helier, Jersey features summer flowering plants in a three dimensional design and a rotating Jersey Accession stamp as centrepiece.
Young people from around the country have grown a selection of vegetables and flowers for their Jubilee themed Generation Gardens. They feature root vegetables, petunias and gerberas in red, white and blue. The two small gardens show how flowers and vegetables can be grown by anyone with any size garden.
A special floral exhibit has been created for the Jubilee by NAFAS demonstrator Derek Armstrong and floral designer Clint Harrison. The large design at the centre of the Floral Design marquee portrays the Royal emblem and features 5ft lions and unicorns. The centrepiece is the Royal Crown made from plants and flowers and adorned with diamonds.
photo: housetohome.co.uk
The floral design competitions are Jubilee themed this year. Diamonds are forever is the title for the Chelsea Florist of the Year and Young Florist of the Year. Contestants have created chandeliers for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Dinner. The NAFAS exhibits are themed to honour the Queen’s Jubilee this year too. The large displays are have been created by several NAFAS clubs.
Several trade stands are celebrating the Jubilee with their exhibits, offering special Jubilee themed products and ranges. Some nurseries have named new plants to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee including two begonias and three sweet peas.
