This year, the designers battled their way through the wind and the rain ready for the opening day of the RHS Malvern Spring Festival which was fantastic. Whilst I felt the disappointment of not doing a garden design this year, it was lovely to have the time to admire the show and catch up with friends and colleagues.
The Villaggio garden deserves the best in show, the attention to detail was incredible, the water feature was carefully considered as in Andalusia the village fountain is fed from the mountain, so when it rains it gushes and the fountain is full but in the summer it is a little trickle. With the whitewashed walls, mature olive trees and red geraniums I was on holiday.
The Floral Marquees was bustling and I couldn’t resist taking home a fern from Bowdens, Matteucia struthiopteris Jumbo, it’s lime green colour and the anticipated height of 5-8ft. The collection of plants all gathered in one area is the equivalent of a sweet shop treat for children for me, a complete delight. The skill these nursery men have producing top quality plants for the show is astounding.
I also walked out with armfuls of Clematis from the 3 Shires Garden Centre, great quality and great prices and if you need supports you can find these too.
Of course there is not only the plants but the lectures, Raymond Blanc was his usual enthusiastic self and an inspiration to us all advising us to go for taste not looks with apples, Snow White chose the red shiny apple and look what happened to her! Ok well yes she did get the handsome prince in the end but that is not the point.
This year was a treat.
