Amateur Gardening – 21 May 2019

11 MAY 2019AmAteur GArDeNING 27

Tamsin predicts that foliage and shade

will be kings at RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Ferns

Creatingdappledshadewithtrees

seemstobea themerunningthrough

manyofthegardens.I’msurewe’llsee

treesunderplantedwith an assortment

of dramatic ferns.

Morusalba

TheManchesterGarden,designedby

ExteriorArchitecture,is settofeaturea

whitemulberrytree.I adorethesetrees

andhaveneverseen one featured in a

show garden.

restios

Designersallowingthesuntopourinto

theirgardensmightwellmakeuseof

evergreenrestios.Theseperennialsun

loversofferheightand a grassy touch

with a difference.

Hostas

Shade-lovinghostasareattheirbestin

May,sothereareboundtobedriftsof

themrunningthroughsomegardens.

Theirlargeleavesareoftenusedto

calm down a busy planting scheme.

Deciduousconifers

TheWedgewoodGardenis promisingto

featurethedeciduousconifer(Taxodium

distichum). Thisspectaculartreeenjoys

havingitsrootsin thewater,hencethe

common name swamp cypress.

All photographs Alamy unless otherwise credited

Silverbirch

Beingtheperfecttreetocreatelight

shadeandoffera loosecanopy,silver

birchwillbeputgoodusethisyear.

Thosewithstrikingwhitebarkwill

create shade with added sparkle.

Designersmustalsoagreewiththe

RHSwhichtypeofjudgingcriteriatheir

gardenfitsintowellbeforetheshow.

Somegardensarejudgedunderthe

Conceptualcriteria(a gardenthatis not

meanttolastbeyondtheevent)and

othersasa Garden(a space that could

existyear after year).

Lengthdiscussions

TheSundayjudgingcanseejudges

revisitinggardensseveraltimesand

takingpartin lengthydiscussionand

debate.Thefinalstagein theprocess

involvesthemoderator,whois a very

experiencedjudge.Heorsheensures

thatthejudgeshavebeen constant

acrossallthegardens.

OnSundayeveningthemedalsare

set,butalljudgesmustremaintight-

lippeduntilTuesdaymorningwhen

the medals are handed out. There are

Alamy

fourgradesofaward– Gold, Silver-Gilt,

SilverandBronze.

Aftermylengthyinductionandfirst

yearofjudgingI nowhavecomplete

confidencethatwhateverthemedal

awardedit is therightone.Hoursof

workgointoensuringthatthecorrect

medalis given.It is vitalthatthejudging

processis detailedandlengthy,as

blood, sweat and tears are put into the

creationofthegardensandeveryone

deservestobegiventimeandattention.

Willyouagreewiththejudgesthisyear?

RHSChelseaFlowerShowwillbe

heldon21-25MayatLondonGate,

RoyalHospitalRoad,RoyalHospital

Chelsea,LondonSW34SR.Visit

8 rhschelsea.seetickets.comorcall

& 08449959664 (7pperminute

charge). See page 7 for more details.

Trewidden Nursery

Wikicommons

Five facts about the judging process

Thejudgingprocesstakestwofull

daystocompleteandit’spossiblefor

discussionstogoonintothenight.

Judgesmustcomplywiththerules

andoffera satisfactorycontribution

otherwisetheywilllosetheir status.

Judges are not paid.

Thosewhohavea relationshipor

businessinterestin a gardenmust

declareit andwill not take part in

thejudging.

A leadjudgewillexplainto

designersandsponsorhowthe

judges reached their decision.