Which are the best gardens to see?
Everyone will have their own view of the gardens which are designed for different spaces such as show, urban and courtyard. Among the most talked about this year are 13-gold medal winning Jekka McVicar’s herb garden: the Power of Plants, which includes stinging nettles and dandelions, both of which have medicinal uses and Roger Platts’ astounding floral display, the Plantman’s Palette.
Martin Hickman, The Independent
Schools cultivating green fingered pupils
After this year’s event, which ended last week, he donated plants from his exhibit garden to several schools. One of these was Forster Park Infants School in Lewisham, South London, which is part of the Royal Horticultural Society’s campaign for school gardening. Gardening has transformed the school site and, teachers say, had a positive academic effect. Mr Platts said it was the encouragement of teachers at his school that made him a keen gardener.
Nicola Woolcock, The Times
Kent blooms at Chelsea Flower Show
In the Great Pavilion, Kent champion plantsman Roger Platts (Silver-Gilt) makes his return to the show for the first time since winning best garden at Chelsea in 2002. His ‘Plantsman’s Palette’ is a delicious display of traditional country garden planting. There are no gimmicks, no shining steel sculptures – the plants do the talking in a soft, natural way with old-fashioned roses, delphiniums, tradescantia, nepeta and geraniums flowing effortlessly to what must be a place in the medals.
Lesley Bellew, Kent Messenger
Chelsea Flower Show garden designer helps Streatham St Leonard’s School students
Green-fingered pupils at a Streatham school have been donated award-winning plants from the Chelsea Flower Show for their budding school garden.
Roger Platts, an award-winning garden designer and horticultural expert, was at St Leonard’s School in Mitcham Road on June 3, to help pupils bed the flowers and plants he used in his exhibit at this year’s world-famous flower show.
Matt Watts, Streatham Guardian
Former Chelsea winner Roger Platts to help RHS school gardening campaign
RHS Chelsea 2002 best-in-show winner Roger Platts will lend his weight to the RHS campaign for school gardening this week, giving out free plants to three schools.
The Kent-based designer and plantsman was joined on his silver gilt-winning Great Pavilion exhibit this year by children from St Leonard’s School in Streatham, London, where he will give out plants, along with a school in Rochester and another school to be confirmed.
Horticulture Week