| Chelsea Flower Power! |
 It’s that gardening time of year again – but whether you’re naturally green-fingered or not, there are the usual terrific shows from the Royal Horticultural Society. The Cardiff show has just been and gone, but the Malvern Spring Gardening Show takes place on May 6-9. It’s been delighting the crowds for 25 years now, and organisers are gearing up for one of the best yet. Among the 16 show gardens are a disused Welsh railway crossing, the Morgan Motor Company’s wildlife-friendly interpretation of the traditionally formal front garden, and an outdoor Quaker meeting room. There are four ‘sides’ to this garden which is entered through arches each bearing an inscription such as peace, tolerance and diversity. Grasses provide movement and the planting is mainly white and silver to represent calm.  Visual feastThe great event, though, is Chelsea (May 25-29) which, as usual, provides a visual feast. This year the RHS is promising the largest show garden ever, from the Eden Project. A gravel garden for the Daily Telegraph draws inspiration from the four corners of the world – the Maquis shrubland of the Mediterranean, the Chaparral of California and Mexico, the Matorral of central Chile and Fynbos from the Southern Cape. Designer James Wong brings the exoticism of the Far East to Chelsea for Tourism Malaysia. His inspiration comes from the traditional ‘kampung’ (Malay village) way of life. The planting will mix edible crops with rare pitcher plants, endangered bat lilies and unique orchids. As ever, there are medals to be won – but for the visitors, what matters is that they’ll see beautiful flowers in beautiful settings, and leave with a sense of wonder and gratitude. Consider how the lilies grow in the fields; they do not work, they do not spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his splendour was not attired like one of them. If that is how God clothes the grass in the fields, which is there today and tomorrow is thrown on the stove, will he not all the more clothe you? Matthew 6:28-30 |
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