Chelsea time again

LATER this month the world-renowned Chelsea Flower Show will burst into bloom once more.

- DIARMUID GAVIN

This prestigious horticultural event has enchanted gardeners and plant lovers since 1913, pausing only during the two World Wars and the Covid pandemic in 2020.

Held in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, it draws tens of thousands of visitors from the UK and abroad, all eager to marvel at the cutting-edge garden designs on Main Avenue and admire the dazzling array of plants in the Grand Pavilion.

One of the most anticipated highlights of the show is the annual Plant of the Year award. This coveted title is given to the most outstanding new plant introduction, judged on criteria such as originality, garden performance, and potential popularity among UK gardeners. Many past winners have gone on to become house-hold favourites - take Geranium ‘Rozanne, for example, with its profusion of vivid blue blooms now a common sight in gardens.

This year’s competition features a variety of unusual and interesting contenders.