The Chelsea Flower Show
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Mad Dogs & Englishmen (Noel Coward)
Darlings- Where else can you run into Twiggy, Steven Hawking, Ringo and The Queen of England in the same afternoon? Why at The Chelsea Flower Show of course!
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Slim Paley photo………Linen cocktail napkins from THE PICKET FENCE, Sun Valley
We couldn’t have had a more beautiful opening day for the show; almost 80 degrees in London and not a cloud in the sky .
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The Parrot tulips reminded me of my favourite Emanuel Ungaro dress…
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and I can’t wait to plant these “Globemaster”s in my garden!
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Sweet!!
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.The vegetables were positively cartoonish they were so perfect
Were they organic? It would be hard to believe…
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Here come the Judges…and they don’t exactly look like push-overs
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I so wish you could smell these!
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We can grow these (I’ve had them in my garden before but I’ve forgotten what they’re called 
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MY “Sterling” ROSES are so big, smell deeevine and are almost six ft. tall right now! (don’t look at my nails)
I am sorry (OK-thrilled) to say that the roses, due to the harsh British winter, were not nearly as impressive as our Santa Barbara babies. Hardly worth even photographing. The peonies on the other hand…
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Dennis Basco
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I want these in the garden too- so lovely
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And lastly, the tropicals were creepy fun!
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These things are BIG – about the size of a large gallon jug of milk (as opposed to a small gallon :) )
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Ah well…back to reality tomorrow…bills to pay, bags to unpack, and a new project about to commence…but more on that soon. It’s a blessing to return to a beautiful place and such gorgeous weather and so far…no jet lag!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!!
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Stumble It! 
My first comment on your beautiful website… Columbine. One of my favorite flowers along with Lily of the Valley and peonies (but mine don’t look like Chelsea’s!)
Oh yes! Thank you Miss Kate- my memory is a sieve.
I love Columbines too.
OK… those baskets of hyacinth are over the TOP!! I so want those in my house. Had no idea there are that many colors. The veggies are crazy gorgeous. The whole thing looks spectacular. And thanks for including that shot of you from the back in your Ungaro gardening outfit
Yes, the Ungaro comes with rubberized gloves
Slim, you’ve outdone yourself! My favorite post ever! Love the new font for the photo credits, love the color of the type and love the jaunty accompanying music! Fun!
Too late! Columbine! I have loved them since I was a little girl growing up in Pasadena……we had Scads and scads of them!
They are still a favorite!
must get some!!
Penelope
Ah what a salad I could create with all those gorgeous veggies although you would almost feel guilty taking them down and messing them up. I take it you are back in Socal??
These are so beautiful!!!
Thanks!
Jan
I love all the photos from your journey to London! Being from Manhattan, I appreciate great window displays, and being a floral designer, I love all the flowers! I want to go there and see all the sights, but so far , I got as far as the California seashore.
Beautiful flowers and fabulous photos!
Great Pics Slim!
Ah! Wonderful. How the English love their gardens (and pets).
And how endearing is it that Slim gets her blog out to us before she unpacks!
Not sure on the spelling, but I think those pixie flowers are called Clytemnestra?!?!? You must have been in heaven! And Twigs is a dear friend, hoping to see her there in July……….
OMG Slim – AMAZING photography. The colours of the flowers are spectacular. I wonder what they feed their vegetables on??? I can see that you had a fantastic time there – so near to us but yet so far. Good luck with your unpacking and I hope the jet lag stays away. Enjoy the sunshine as it is raining here. Look forward to more amazing photographs.
I am totally in love with the dark blue hyacinths, thanks for the great pictures.
How did you like the show gardens? And the Grace Kelly exhibition?
Will you be treating us to a post about dinner at the Fat Duck, my 11-year old son is Heston’s biggest fan.
Speaking of nails, after three months or so the Biotil has finally kicked in – thanks for the great tip! Your brilliant photos have also inspired me to finally give in and treat myself to a Leica D-lux 4 – it’s just the best thing ever and I never leave the house without it.
Believe it or not Andrea- we missed some of the show gardens- not quite sure how THAT happened…I think we were perhaps a little giddy and a lot tired after our Italian adventure
The Grace Kelly exhibit was just OK -not put together with as much flair and style as the subject deserved and it was very small. Gosh she was beautiful though!
I will post about The Fat Duck soon, although my photos didn’t turn out very well. I love that your son is a Heston Blumenthal fan- great taste at such a tender age!
Congrats on your nails AND the D-Lux 4. Jealous!
London in Spring. Always and forever fabulous. You have captured the essence. More!
Gorgeous pictures….welcome home!
Welcome home–thanks for taking me along in your back pocket; have loved all of the stories and photos. How in the world do those Brits make the flowers all bloom at once? So gorgeous and amazing.
the first lupine phot0 is gorgeous – reminds me of miss rumphius. everything else is divine too!
Oh Miss Rumphius! My very favorite book and I imagine it’s my boys’ too, since I read it to them again and again.
Breathtaking! What are those tulips called with feathered edges, never seen such a thing..Brilliant.
As always lovely photos Slim!
I want to thank you so very much for sharing these photos. I have never seen anything like them! The leeks….Oh My!!!
Just droooooling up here in the Rockies! The veggies are a-maz-ing!!
I’m just thankful my peonies are thriving, and we cut our first baby spinach
a few days ago. Thank you for another beautiful post, and taking us with you
on your travels!
I was like a kid at Christmas ready to open your Chelsea Flower Show post in my Inbox this am! I new it would be a festival of beautiful colours and then you went and reposted that gorgeous Ungaro dress that started this whole SP craze for me!
Keep up the good work……
UnbeLIEVable!! I have never seen lupines like that in my life. Great post….
fantastic post Slim, thanks for sharing!
Wow Slim, such a breathtaking post, I am speechless and that is a rare condition for moi. Thank you sooo much for taking the time for generously sharing your trip with us. Until next time, welcome home xo
Welcome home Slim. Thanks for sharing your amazing trip. Everything is so beautiful, the flowers, veggies, London and Rome pic’s. and of course your own beautiful roses.
B J
hi slim,
again i find myself at a loss for words. i read every comment and ditto them a thousand times. simply too beautiful for words.
welcome home.
~janet
I couldn’t wait to see pics from the the flower show! Wonderful! and a bonus to see that Ungaro dress again…that’s the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen.. Your peonies and roses are spectacular.
Welcome home, Slim. Your photos are amazing, the flowers stunning and I have never seen such perfect leeks.
As always, gorgeous photos and a great post! The hyacinths (I think I CAN smell them from here) and the veggies were my favorite!
Welcome Home! The parrot tulips and the bright yellow hyacinths were my favorites. Your roses are right up there with every other bloom from the flower show! Love it. I will be revisiting this post every time I need a colorful pick-me- up. Thank YOU for sharing.
WOW WOW WOW – that is my favorite post. The colors are breathtaking. And I like the dresses. I’m so upset I didn’t get to tell you “Columbine” first. I just bought one but that is not just an ordinary one, it’s a special one and do you think I can remember the name? No, but it will come to me. I just planted it. Geez I felt special and smart for about a minute, until I saw everyone else knew what it was too.
This is my new favorite post too!
Breathtaking flowers. Beautiful veggies. Wild tropicals.
The judges? Hilarious! Definitely not push-overs.
And I love how the dresses go so well with the flowers.
topiary chard (?) tomatoes, onions , potatoes(?) Amazing! What a display!!!
Thanks so for the pictures!
Beautiful!
Yesterday; I saw at my very own daughter’s house in Santa Barbara these WAY COOL tables with built-in lazy susans……..omilord…….and curved benches!
I said: “Where did those come from????” The Chelsea Flower Show last year!! Wow!
Thanks so much for the lovely tour!!!!
Penelope
aMaZing!!!!! Fantabulous flowers and color … thanks for taking to time to “smell the roses” and share these photos … no wonder England is known for their flowers and gardens … would love to attend this flower show and also tour Kew Gardens – did you visit or have you before? – i love flowers … really all botanicals . … would love to experience this or any European floral market someday …. dreamin of flowers tonight …
Kew Gardens still on the list Jeanne!
welcome home. every single flower is fab…but did you check to see if either one of those judges was single??!! x
Your photos are just stunning, so real !!
Slim,
Those fringed tulips! Never seen anything quite like them. Did you get a name for them?
So miss all those lovely flowers & hostas that cannot possibly suffer the terrible heat down here in Southern Florida.
Kind of dumb I’m afraid Beverly- I only took one photo of those amazing tulips and did not get the name of them. Such an unusual combination with the yellow and lavender. There was also a pure lavender one that was GORGEOUS as well.
Thanks so much – I can smell the Narcissus/Narcissi?
Beautiful Post!
No, the judges look pretty serious.
PS I meant Hyacinths – Not Narcissus/Narcissi!
The lupines….so so so beautiful! If only we had less humidity in Philadelphia. And the peonies….are they not spectacular. American judges are just as serious about their choices. Winning an award at the number 1 or 2 flower show in the world is most certainly an honor. If ever traveling to Phila. the first week in March book a day at the Phialdelphia International Flower Show. It rivals Chelsea for the number one spot and is a quite different format and show. Next years theme is France and the city of Paris. Make sure you book an Early Morning Tour which takes place before the show opens, is 2 hours, and begins at 8:00AM.