Hampton Court Flower Show 2013

Foot sore but delighted, I just got back from a day at the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show. This year we went by train and then got the boat down the Thames on a 10-15 minute ride to the show-ground entrance from Hampton Court Station, all super easy and fuss free.
There is too much to see in one trip however unless you are super fit.  Where to start? Well there are the mini gardens on the way into the main area that are enjoyable to stroll past, especially if you get there early before all the crowds.

Bee Sculpture

One feature I liked was a fun giant sculpture of an insect made from old cycles and plastic bottles.
There are several large marquees but unless you get a catalogue there don't seem to be any one-page maps for sale or for free to guide you around.  There are some around the site but they are really too small to see clearly unless you get quite close.  You've heard about the Hampton Court Maze, well this isn't it but it might as well be. Quite disorienting at times. I'm glad my friend knew where to go.

Plenty of places to eat and drink line several avenues with picnic tables and there are also a couple of huge restaurants in marquees.

Pretty Border

Many of the gardens had a soft,  sensuous, summery feel with blue and pink flowers mixed with grasses.  More cottage garden than country house.

Lovely hardy geraniums with veronicas and foxgloves.  My kind of gardening.

In the Butterfly House

The butterfly house was a geodesic dome, rather hot and filled with many wonderful  butterflies, we also saw a few escapees around the show - the ones that got away.

Rose display

The Rose marquee was good, the smell of roses hit you as you walk in.  In the same place were some displays with the theme Vintage and a few flower arrangements but not like at the Chelsea show.

Hot Chocolate

 These pretty roses caught my eye on several stands. They are called Hot Chocolate.





Also in the Rose area were exhibitions on the Vintage theme where these stunning creations all or partly made in flowers were to be found.

Lady in Red Roses

Sedum Chair 

Singing in the Rain

We wandered around the heritage Marquee and plant collections and seeds for sale.
There was a non-plant area a bit like a craft show, rather warm and full of the usual goodies.  Eventually, we went in the vegetable and fruit area which was OK and after a quick packed lunch set off for the main Plant Marquee on the opposite side of the long water.  This was the highlight for me, lots of plants on display and to buy, which we did of course, notwithstanding the train trip back. Lots of people had those plastic trolleys, like a box on wheels, full of plants.

There were two magnificent stands with Hostas, lots of herbaceous perennials, a faboulous allium display.  This year, in addition to the usual plants, there were lots of  Veronicas, Salvias and Nepetas as well as Achillias in evidence, it must be the fashion. Although these have been filling my garden for a number of years  complementing my geraniums.

Lady in flower costume

We spotted some interesting trailing plants, interestingly they were Tiarellas which have small spikes pink flowers in Spring.  A good basket and ground cover plant or to trail over a wall. And finally we bought a few plants each.

On our way out, we ran across several people in amazing flower costumes, the lady in the bright pink one looked absolutely lovely.

There was a leisurely boat trip back up the river to the station and a restful train ride home notwithstanding two changes at Surbiton and Raynes Park.