Chelsea Flower Show: Golden glow as David Austin Roses welcomes celebs to award-winning garden
After celebrating their 24th gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show, David Austin Roses have been welcoming a few famous faces to their display.
From Mary Berry to David Walliams, a host of celebrities have been exploring the 400-strong rose garden.
Featuring their three new roses – Emily Brontë, Tottering-by-Gently and The Mill on the Floss – the display included pergolas covered in roses leading through to a enclave surrounded by roses.
In the centre of the enclave is a table with afternoon tea.
David Austin Jnr said: “The intention is always to inspire visitors and encourage them to recreate part of the display in their own garden at home.
“Our roses work really well, even in smaller spaces such as planted in a large container on a patio or adjacent to a front door where beautiful, fragrant blooms can be enjoyed throughout the summer months.
“In this increasingly busy world, taking time out in an outdoor space is so important for our overall wellbeing and roses just make you smile with great joy!”
The festival has been hugely popular, and guests have included The Queen and Theresa May, as well as TV presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby and Environment Secretary Michael Gove.
Gardener and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh used the flower show to call on parents to get their children outdoors.
“Don’t force them into gardening, but for God’s sake connect them with the outdoors, get them away from these screens for a few hours,” he said. “It’s the way of the world.
“A lady said to me ‘What do I do about my child eating soil?’ and I said ‘Make sure he gets enough’.
“Where are your antibodies if you haven’t got muck in you as a kid? Antiseptic wipes, it’s why we all get so ill, we’ve got no antibodies anymore.”
This year’s Chelsea Flower Show will see 168,000 visitors exploring over 500 exhibits, including gardens, nurseries, floristry, educational displays and trade stands.
Gardens include the RHS Feel Good Garden, celebrating 70 years of the National Health Service and highlighting the positive impact of horticulture on mental health.
