Tuesday 28 May 2013

Chelsea Flower Show 2013


Hey,


So last week was the 100th Chelsea Flower Show. I was lucky enough to get tickets to attend. Typically it rained. But while I was at Chelsea the rain decided to stop. I half expected for the heavens to open, after all it is typical British weather. When will summer finally arrive? Lol.
Anyway, trying to get tickets was a tense time for me. Sitting at the computer, and at the dot of three BAM, I purchased four tickets (with my mother's credit card). At first it was supposed to be my mother, her friends and I. (I was supposed to be their tourist guide, guiding them around London. Without me they will be like lost sheep.) Anyway due to personal reasons my mum's friends couldn't make it so instead my sister and dad came along making it a family trip. 
The first two days of Chelsea is for the VIPs and the Queen. I really wish I know someone famous or someone important enough to make it onto the VIP list. The reason why? Well my celebrity crush was at Chelsea on the first day!  Here is a photo of the gorgeous Eddie Redmayne looking every so dapper. He is posing by the tulips display. 
(Oh Eddie how did you know that tulips are my all time favourite flower? )




Anyway, because I am not famous or anyone relatively important I went to Chelsea on Thursday. It was bitterly cold. I really wanted to wear boots that day, but last month I epically fell out of bed and well hurt my foot, so it is painful to wear boots. (If you didn't know by now, I am a very clumsy person.) On the way to Chelsea the heavens opened, rather heavily, lets say I got a little wet (though it was a lot worse the following day, were it rained non stop. Makes me glad I didn't go to Chelsea then.) 

        Here is a picture of the ticket. 


Anyway, what can I say? I have been watching Chelsea on the telly and it was not what I expected. I half thought it would be filled with elderly folks, but I was pleasantly surprised by the mix of ages. There were even quite a lot of dapper men in suits!!! *squeal* who doesn't love a man in a suit? Also there were a few cute gardener's assistants too. 
Anyway the way they angle the camera for the telly makes the outdoor gardens look absolutely massive but in reality it is quite a lot smaller, something that I personally found rather disappointing. Also it is better to watch it from the telly, because when you are actually there, you see nothing! I mean nothing,there are far too many people herding around the gardens that you can't even push your way through unless you are like a giant. I stand at a mere 5ft3. Which is not tall at all. 

Here are a few images taken outside. 



The most impressive part of Chelsea is inside the tent. So many impressive flower displays, it was like I was in flower heaven. I am a girl who has a big heart for flowers, and take in deeply the flower meanings so I really enjoyed wandering around the giant tent looking at all the beautiful flowers. I spent a lot of my time looking for the Lord Of The Rings inspired display and I must say I was very impressed. From watching it on the telly I thought it was outside but actually it was inside. 

Here is a picture. From what I observed the red and orange flowers represent the fires of Mount Doom. 


              Look it's Treebeard! 


I also fell in love with the tulip display, so many different types of tulips. So many wonderful colours, red tulips are my all time favourite because they have a wonderful meaning and yes admitted it was because the book Evermore, by Alyson Noel that made me fall in love with red tulips. According to the book red tulips mean 'undying love'. Cute isn't it? I have googled and a few other websites and they say 'declaration of love'. Anyway a beautiful meaning for a beautiful flower. 

Here are some pictures of the tulips display. (So beautiful) 








The orchids display was beautiful too! My mum loves her orchids and I usually buy her an orchid plant every year for her birthday. I think I get it from my mum, I do seem to have an eye for what is a good plant and what isn't. (Despite the fact I need glasses. Well not all the time) Well according to my mum I pick out good plants. 

Here is a picture of me standing by another one of my favourite displays. 


Here are more orchids! There is such a huge variety of orchids it's insane! 











The roses and daffodils were beautiful too! There is such a huge variety of daffodils! So pretty! 

                         Roses 





                        Daffodils 






Peonies have slowly started to become my new favourite flower. It is because of the Chelsea Flower Show! I mean I have seen peonies on the telly, on TV program's such as Gossip Girl. (Blair Waldorf seems to be a fan of peonies and boy are they beautiful flowers.) 
If someone got me a bouquet of peonies I would love them forever. 

                        Peonies 



Aren't the peonies beautiful? Anyway I took a hay fever tablet before I attended the show, but it wasn't enough to protect me from the overpowering smell of some of the flowers such as the lilies and hyacinth. They smelt lovely but during spring and summer it seems my sense of smell is heightened. The smell was just overwhelming and occasionally I had to walk away, it made me sneeze far too much. 

                           Lilies



                          Hyacinth




Here are photos of some of the other flower displays. I don't know the name of some of the flowers. Maybe they are chrysanthemums, irises, foxgloves, hydrangeas...etc. 



































These are just images I took on my phone. My mum and sister also took a lot of photos, but I thought it was best not to bomb you will all my flower images. So would I recommend going to Chelsea? Yes definitely, for the flowers inside rather than the gardens outside, you are better of just watching that from the telly. Honestly unless you are a giant you won't see much at all. And of course if you are lucky enough to make the VIP list. 
Would I go again? Of course, if I have the money, the tickets don't come cheaply, and you have to be fast. I felt like I was bidding on eBay when I purchased the tickets.
 I would definitely advise you if you do attend to pack your own lunch. The food prices were absolutely ridiculous, but it is expected. For half a pint of Pimms it was £6!!!! When I was at Wimbledon I had a bigger glass I think it was a pint and I paid £7.50. (I think it was that much) Also for a portion of chips it was £3. Seriously rob you of your money. So definitely bring your own food. Or eat beforehand. 

Anyway overall despite the awful English weather I had a wonderful time at Chelsea, I was in flower heaven. Admiring all the beautiful flowers and falling in love with new ones. 

I hope I haven't bored you will my blog about flowers! My next blog probably will be about Rome. Though I am going to London Zoo in a couple of weeks! Super excited about that I mean I get to see PENGUINS!!!! I love penguins! If you can't tell penguins are like my all time favourite animal! Baby emperor penguins are just so darn cute! If I take enough pictures I will definitely blog about it. 

Until next time. 

Sam x