The Chelsea show has come and gone again for another year. Did you go? This year I only saw the television coverage but having said that, with the show being televised every day I probably saw more than if I had attended!

The large show gardens left me cold, did absolutely nothing for me and seemed to be for the designers circle. That is unusual as there is normally one that I find inspirational. This year seemed to revamp old ideas and there was nothing that I could take away as an idea to use in my garden. “Concept garden” seemed to be the phrase used most often to describe this years’ gardens. Three things struck me about these concept gardens, expensive, impractical and I got the impression that the plants were an afterthought.

The courtyard gardens offered more for me and yet there seemed to be a desire to “push the boundaries”.

The real show for me this year was inside the pavilion. Great displays of plants and great plants people to go with it. The knowledge and enthusiasm of these people has to be admired and, yes, I did get inspiration and ideas of things to plant in my own garden.

At last in May I have been able to do some gardening. Most of the month has been wet, in fact very wet, and if not wet then strong cold winds which has made it almost impossible to work outside.

The trouble is when you do get outside after a spell like this in spring there is a tendency to go mad and try to catch up. I am no exception and certain muscles are complaining. It is a real treat working in the back garden at the moment as the lilac is in full bloom and filling most the garden with delicious perfume and the pineapple broom is making the trip to the greenhouse a delight.

In the front garden the laburnum is in glorious flower and it is difficult to miss the sweet scent. The side garden is also full of perfume from the Choisya Aztec Pearl, no matter where I am working it is an absolute treat.

This is what a garden should be as far as I am concerned, full of flowers, yes form, perfume and wildlife.

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