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Allamanda cathartica |
The ‘out-of-date’ judging rules at Chelsea Flower Show should be changed to allow gardeners to adapt designs to the weather, critics have suggested, as this year’s hopefuls struggle to cope with the heat.
The strict rules of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) mean that major plants in the garden cannot be changed two weeks before the show.
But after the hottest April on record many designers are having to replace their original plans with flowers better able to bloom in the heat, meaning they are at risk of being marked down.
Wilting irises are being wrapped in tissue paper or planted in the shade, while whole flower beds have had to be dug up and replanted with different varieties.
Tim Richardson, a gardening critic and historian, said the cut off point was one of many “old fashioned” RHS rules that are stifling creativity at the 149-year-old show.
He said designers should be able to completely change their plans at the last minute to show their knowledge of plants and artistic vision in the face of adversity.
“I think it is about time that sort of rule is gone because designers should be able to express themselves freely without worrying that some judge in a bowler hat saying that section should be cobalt blue when in fact it is better now in orange.”
Mr Richardson also said the marking is too heavily concentrated on the ideas of “nursery men” and “big posh gardens”, rather than looking at the aesthetic of the overall design.
As a consequence, he said many gardens are “horticulturally correct but incredibly dull” and there is little room for international designers to display innovate ideas or minimalist designs.
“It is not a village vegetable show it is an international design event,” he said. “They could treat the designers with more respect and give them some freedom.”
Diarmuid Gavin, the former Gardener’s World presenter, who has managed to persuade the RHS to allow a “flying garden” at this year’s Chelsea, agreed the rules could be relaxed.
He said judges should allow for the beauty of fading petals or imperfect plants in a strange shape.
“Anything you grow properly does have imperfections and it should be the same with garden plants. It is a good idea I think to have a more realistic view of these things.”
But despite his reputation as a trouble maker, Mr Gavin was careful of criticising the notoriously rigid RHS.
“If you enter into a club, you play by the rules. Show gardening is an art in itself. As long as it is acknowledged that people are creating a false idea – including me. Chelsea is very surreal”
Bob Sweet, the Head of Shows, insisted the rules are fair. He said gardeners will be allowed to change flowers and plants as long as it keeps with the general theme of the brief.
“The seasons have played a lot of tricks this year. It is quite noticeable gardeners have had to hold plants back and some have gone over,” he said.
“In a trying year judges will recognise the problems gardeners have had to go through.” (source : telegraph.co.uk)