“I never tire of the Chelsea Flower Show – there are always wonderful new things to discover and I always come away feeling excited and inspired,” says Rosebie Morton, our founder and flower farmer. “This year there was a strong sense of the importance of nature for wellbeing, for refuge and for storytelling rather than just being about gardens for gardens’ sake. For instance, the CHERUB HIV garden, designed by Naomi Ferrett-Cohen, has been planned to take you on the journey a young person with HIV faces today.”
“It’s always wonderful planting that gets me excited rather than complicated hard landscaping,” says Rosebie. Rosebie takes her inspiration for what we grow on our English flower farms at The Real Flower Company from garden design rather than from the rest of the cut-flower industry. “For me, the most beautiful bouquet is one that has been freshly picked using whatever is seasonal and looking its best that day,” she says.
We’re proud to be members of Flowers From the Farm, a UK-wide co-operative of artisan growers. Their wonderful installation, Going to Market, was rightfully awarded a gold medal and it was wonderful to see so much buzz and excitement about locally grown, seasonal flowers. We were thrilled to be able to contribute our sweet peas to their display.
It was the Rosa chinensis ‘Mutabilis’ that immediately caught Rosebie’s eye in Sarah Price’s Mediterranean-inspired garden. “Rosa chinensis Mutabilis, or China rose, is the reason we have repeat-flowering roses today,” she says. “Its petals with their different colour tones look as if they’ve been draped in silk. Sarah Price has been so clever about placing the right plants in the right place, letting all the plants speak while being sensitive to the environment.”
Tom Massey took his inspiration for this garden for the Lemon Tree Trust from the Domiz refugee camp in northern Iraq, designing the layout with input from people within the camp and using materials that were typically available there such as concrete and steel. “Another example of very clever planting,” says Rosebie, “because the plants all work together rather than jostling for attention. As the scheme is so well thought through, the really stand-out specimens serve as punctuation marks rather than taking over. The pomegranate tree fits so well with the theme and really does tell the story of producing beauty despite hardship. It’s a great example of how a garden doesn’t have to be huge to be special. Tom Massey worked with Hortus Loci, who I have a great deal of respect for – they are such extraordinarily knowledgeable plants people.”
“Jonathan Snow really has created a classic South African scene. I really like the way the proteas have been burnt as part of the fertilisation process,” says Rosebie.
“You are instantly transported to the Yorkshire Dales by Mark Gregory’s garden,” says Rosebie.
“Wonderful swathes of fantastic planting, a babbling brook and stone walls draw you in as the cooler colours weave into more dramatic tones. Every inch has something to look at and there are so many details – from the cowslips naturally bending over in the grass to the tufts of sheep’s wool caught on the branches.”
“More clever planting using so many wonderful plants from Hortus Loci,” says Rosebie. “The plants take centre stage but without becoming overwhelming. And there are some brave colour combinations that work together beautifully.”
“Lucy was inspired by the spirit of the British countryside in her decoration of the RHS letters this year,” says Rosebie. “She used rambling roses, vines, perennials and roses with as many of the plants as possible being British-grown. And she cleverly kept the cut flowers hydrated with hidden test tubes and ‘eco bouquet wraps’.”
“Hardy’s always have such a good selection of garden flowers mixed with cutting garden flowers,” says Rosebie. Hardy’s new Salvia ‘Kisses and Wishes’, their Geum ‘Scarlet Tempest’ and Cosmos ‘Rubenza’ were Rosebie’s standouts this year.
Finally, Rosebie says: “For me, Kelways’ Tree Peonies sum up the Chelsea Flower Show. They are utterly gorgeous and showstopping.”
Find out about Rosebie’s favourite Chelsea Flower Show roses here.
