I’m a bit forlorn I’m not in London this week for the Chelsea Flower Show, but after a month of back-to-back trips, I’m relishing a couple of weeks at home. Recently, I was able to squeeze in a pleasant morning at the Joyful Garden Tour sponsored by Christ Church Episcopal, where I captured the enticing image below.
A Charleston-style garden featured on the Joyful Garden Tour.
Although not at Chelsea, I’ve found a pretty good substitute—four episodes of a recent British television show, now on YouTube, called The Great Chelsea Garden Challenge. This link is to the first show, a cottage garden design challenge. If you watch this one, the other episodes should pop up in a “suggested” box.
I never tire of garden tours, which is a good thing, as I’ll soon be in Toronto for the 2015 Garden Bloggers Fling, quickly followed by this year’s first visit to England (outlined here). If interested, the September tour to England, which includes a visit to the private gardens of HRH the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at Highgrove, still has a couple of openings, as does the August tour to Boston & the Berkshires.
Wherever your upcoming travels take you, I hope they’re filled with flowers and fun…
Terry Gentry’s salmon-colored Louisiana iris.
Hortitopia 
Hi Marian,
I wonder if I may ask which home this is. Just beautiful!
I am the incoming President of The Guild of the Greenville
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Deb–I sent you an email with the info.
The Great Chelsea Garden Challenge was a great show, the winner has a garden at Chelsea this year as the prize! You have a busy schedule Marian, I visited Highgrove with my Mum two years ago, its a wonderful garden and thrilling to be there too.
Julie–Yes, I do have a busy travel schedule in spring and summer, sometimes too busy. I’m really thrilled, however, with the two tours to England and especially the visit to Highgrove, which will be the cherry on the sundae. Re: The Great Chelsea Garden Challenge, I’ve found Shaun’s Chelsea garden on the internet and it looks wonderful. Kudos to him and all the designers that make Chelsea great!
Sooo looking forward to those Gardens of The North!
Amy–Me too! All the gardens are fabulous, this trip is likely to be the best ever.
Your travels sound really exciting Marian. Thanks for the link to the Chelsea Garden Challenge. Love that salmony iris.
Susie–I’ve never seen an iris like this one, it’s really an eye-catcher! Hope you like the Chelsea Garden Challenge. It’s similar to the Great British Bake Off, which I loved.
Been watching the Chelsea Garden Challenge. Terrific!
I look forward to meeting you in Toronto, Marian.
Pat–Yes, finally! From the itinerary, I would say we are going to be super busy!
I’m sorry you missed our Charlotte Garden Club tour this year. I will make sure you know about it well in advance next April. We might even have a bed available for an overnight stay.
John–Thanks! We’ve got to get together soon…
What an exciting year you have planned. I’m missing Chelsea too. Promised myself I would go next year. It’s on every night here on the BBC for an hour so I’m judging all the gardens ! Ha.
You know, I’ve been to Chelsea three times and really didn’t think I needed to go again, but I miss it every year.
It’s a bit of a trek now, so we haven’t been to Chelsea this year but I have been watching it on the telly every night…
Oooh, that iris. Beautiful!
Jessica–LOL, it’s a bit of a trek for me too. I’m keeping an eye on YouTube for the Chelsea coverage, but haven’t found it yet. Fingers crossed.
Thanks for the link, Marian. Will watch it this evening… Oh, the trip to England sounds just heavenly. I was at Sissinghurst for the first time last September and it was glorious!! We stayed at the newly renovated, and very small, Milk House Pub just down the road and it too was wonderful. I recommend it for anyone!
Love that iris; my “Teddy Bear” , Louisiana Iris, have been blooming beautifully for the last week.
Libby–You’re going to love the show. Wish we had good garden programs in the US, but the few on TV are all rubbish.
Beautiful gardens.
That’s a beautiful photo! Thankyou for the link, that will make some nice viewing on these chilly evenings. It’s great that you get to do a lot of garden tours each year….it is something that I would love to do one day 🙂
Matt–The show is lots of fun and, for once, I agreed with the chosen winner!
See you in Toronto!
Jason–It won’t be long now!
I love a garden tour and am looking forward to my first Garden Bloggers Fling in Toronto. It would be a pleasure to meet you there.
See you next week!
I was a bit forlorn not to be at Chelsea so consoled myself with a substitute too – in my case, a visit to the Dorothy Clive Garden, which was really looking good. We’ve got tickets to Hampton Court instead.
Susan–Gosh, I have really missed Chelsea this year and would have loved to see the Laurent-Perrier Chatsworth Garden, but I always tell people to go to Hampton Court because a late June trip is so much better for perennials and roses, which is what most want to see.