https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/ en Copyright 2011 Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:26:45 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=4.33-en http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss We got a silver-gilt medal which we are very pleased with, we're really pleased because it's our first Tatton. The judges did say that they'd like us to do a larger stand and that our plants would really suit a larger exhibit. One of the reasons why we create a display of this size is because it fills one lorry! We never know how the plants will go down when we come to a new show and especially one in a different climatic area, but so far so good. Next week we're going to the Taunton flower show where we're exhibiting our own plants and planting a garden, then Rob and I are off for three days to an undisclosed, secret location to reflect on the last few months and plan for the year ahead. Dave and Rob - Exhibitors https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/07/happy_with_silvergilt.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/07/happy_with_silvergilt.html Dave Root Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:26:45 +0000 Tatton is so close to Hampton Court that we've barely had time to unload the lorry before it's time to turn around again! The bananas are looking great this time around, they've really come into their own. This is a bit special, it's the first time we've shown it Amorphophallus 'Konjac', it's related to lords and ladies and it'll grow about 10 feet tall with this amazing black and green mottled stem. I hope Rob likes what we've done... ]]> Dave and Rob - Exhibitors https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/07/here_in_spirit.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/07/here_in_spirit.html Dave Root Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:58:07 +0000 It's interesting looking around Hampton Court, it all seems a lot more seasonal, designers are less inclined to force plants like they do at Chelsea so you get a more realistic impression of how all gardens are looking at this time of year, not just show gardens. I've noticed a lot of wildflower style planting and plenty of exotics which is great for us, it raises the profile of the plants we grow, look you could take home 1ft tree fern trunk, already unfurling, it looks like a little pet! Dave and Rob - Exhibitors https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/07/take_home_a_little_pet.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/07/take_home_a_little_pet.html Dave Root Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:38:40 +0000 Gunnera manicata right on the edge of the stand where visitors can stand underneath it, and best of all we've got the diminuitive Gunnera magellanica which is only 5cm high. Carol Klein mentioned it at Chelsea and since then we've been inundated with people asking for it. Also finished planting the LIBRA school garden at the show. One of the big show gardens. its got a real canal boat, a thatched cottage, fruit and veg, aquatics, a planted tow path, everything even stinging nettles. We grew all of it to help the school out and I can honestly say its one of the proudest things we've ever done. It looks beautiful, and the judges awarded it a Silver medal. I know the visitors will adore it, especially when the kids are there telling everybody about it. It'll be really great. Well Rob is up at the show now and then I go up on tomorrow night to take over. Doing a show together is a luxury we don't have time for these days unfortunately. I'm back at HQ thinking about Tatton Park and what we will take for that show! ]]> Dave and Rob - Exhibitors https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/07/all_done_but_still_looking_for.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/07/all_done_but_still_looking_for.html Dave Root Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:06:59 +0000 Gunnera manicata is looking stunning and our Wollemi pine, tucked away in there looks great. A Solanum quitoense gives the display a cutting-edge look and we're very happy with the Canna 'Stuttgart', it's not the easiest plant to show because the edges of the leaves have a tendency to burn but this one's perfect! ]]> Dave and Rob - Exhibitors https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/07/old_favourites.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/07/old_favourites.html Dave Root Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:12:16 +0000 Steve says "It's stressful because we are not garden designers and we've been here since day one of the build up, we've been very hands-on with the building and planting." This is a real achievement from a little school in Devon, it's quite unusual because it's not a charity and it's not a commercial venture either. We've worked very closely with the school and even have two students who come and do work experience at the nursery, this garden is quite special, and the kids are great. ]]> Dave and Rob - Exhibitors https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/07/a_little_piece_of_devon_1.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/07/a_little_piece_of_devon_1.html Dave Root Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:09:41 +0000 We're still a little shell-shocked from The Gardeners' World Live Show, and our Gold medal winning exhibit. Unbelievable, we expected to win silver at the most!!! It was a great show, busy all week, and the weather was kind for a change. Back again now and Hampton Court is looming. As well as our own Desert to Jungle floral exhibit, we are supplying and planting all of the plants for an entire garden. Not as you might think an exotic garden, but a Devon Lock keeper's garden! Created by The Libra School in Devon, a school for some very great young people who we have had the pleasure of working with for the past 15 months. The garden includes a fruit and veg patch, a cottage garden, aquatic plants in a section of the Tiverton Canal and even some stinging nettles! Planting starts on 30th June. However a jungle floral exhibit looms too. What are we to display and now the bar is raised higher since our NEC Gold. Hopefully, we should be fully banana'd out for the show along with cannas and other luscious leafy stuff. And hopefully another massive gunnera, which enthralled the visitors to the NEC many of whom had their photos taken under one of its huge leaves. Deep joy, Hampton Court means that we camp out in a field and sleep in the back of our van. Ok if the weathers nice but like Glastonbury if its not...And they say that show business is glamorous!! Dave and Rob - Exhibitors https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/06/busy_times_at_the_nursery.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/06/busy_times_at_the_nursery.html Dave Root Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:44:17 +0000 Well, a silver medal for Desert to Jungle which was a little disappointing and we didn't necessarily agree with the judges observations but it's our first Chelsea. Kelways was also a silver medal and in our opinion was a silver-gilt display. We were swamped with people all day which is what matters. The gasps, oohs and ahs over the peonies are lovely to hear. Both Rob and I were in pain yesterday, standing in our smart shoes and suits was excruciating! In the future I think we'll stick to our uniform of camouflage gear... Dave and Rob - Exhibitors https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/05/the_gasps_oohs_and_ahs_over_th.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/05/the_gasps_oohs_and_ahs_over_th.html Dave Root Wed, 21 May 2008 09:56:17 +0000 We were bagging up seed at midnight last night, we've been judged and Carol Klein has interviewed us for the interactive coverage. Rob's been chasing a pair of fornicating blackbirds away from the stand and we've had to have a word with the judges to let them know what we've had to deal with! We're so pleased with everything, the Desert to Jungle stand looks great and we couldn't be happier with the peonies and irises, we'll have to wait and see what the judges think... ]]> Dave and Rob - Exhibitors https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/05/well_have_to_wait_and_see_what.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/05/well_have_to_wait_and_see_what.html Dave Root Mon, 19 May 2008 15:44:23 +0000 The peonies arrived last night, they are sensational - we've got twice as many as we need. You never know what the plants are going to be like until they arrive. As it stands now, we're virtually finished - the earliest we've ever finished. We've just got a bit of scissor work to do on the Jungle stand, trimming off anything that looks unsightly...We have a slight problem with a territorial blackbird that keeps pulling worms out of the wet ground and then going to sit on our tetrapanax to eat them, we have to keep cleaning it! We've had a look around the rest of the show today, the I Dream, I Seek My Garden, which we supplied the peonies for, is looking amazing, I really thought it wouldn't work but the drop in temperature has been a gift from heaven, we're delighted that they're delighted. Best-in-show for us is either The Laurent-Perrier Garden, The Cancer Research Garden or I Dream I Seek My Garden and we supplied plants for all three! ]]> Dave and Rob - Exhibitors https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/05/were_virtually_finished.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/05/were_virtually_finished.html Dave Root Sun, 18 May 2008 16:00:36 +0000 Tonight the peonies are coming... ]]> Dave and Rob - Exhibitors https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/05/tonight_the_peonies_are_coming.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/05/tonight_the_peonies_are_coming.html Dave Root Sat, 17 May 2008 14:45:00 +0000 Another exhausting day, lorry number three out of 11 now loaded with the next lot of tree ferns for Andy Sturgeon. Good moment this afternoon when the Daily Telegraph team phoned to say that they were totally delighted with the Gunneras which had arrived in one piece, with no torn leaves! Loading the tree ferns today was quite sad in a way. You become quite attached to them, especially when they are more than 100 years old...you want them to be looked after, bit like a treasured antique. Getting ready now for Monday's deliveries which will be for the Flemings' Australian garden. They have bulrushes amongst other things. The experts said there's no way we would get them in flower for May...well we have!!! Managed an hour today to prepare for the Desert to Jungle exhibit which is bottom of the list at the moment. I can't believe we're off to Chelsea on Wednesday and have had no time to select any plants for the show yet...it'll be ok! Dave and Rob - Exhibitors https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/05/so_far_so_good.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/05/so_far_so_good.html Dave Root Mon, 12 May 2008 10:22:22 +0000 Worked till dark last night loading the first of 11 trucks going to Chelsea. This lorry had just 10 big tree ferns on it for Andy Sturgeon. It was exhausting loading them so that they don't move on the long 150 mile journey. Brian the driver has promised not to do too many handbrake turns! It's much cooler today, which is a relief. It was so sunny and windy that everything was flopping in the heat. Today we have to get the first load of Gunneras loaded for Arabella Lennox-Boyd. It was too hot yesterday to get them out of their shady tunnel. Today we have to get as many as 15 on the truck, not touching at all, which will be a nightmare as they are like horticultural velcro. Quite how it will go we don't know yet. Must put some attention today to our own exhibit, it's Jurassic themed. We must mark out the exhibit on the ground and start to select some plants. It's only 6 days till we stage it. Perhaps we've left it a little late! Dave and Rob - Exhibitors https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/05/starting_the_journey.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/05/starting_the_journey.html Dave Root Fri, 09 May 2008 17:32:11 +0000 Oh my goodness. It is suddenly baking hot. Been watering all day, and everything's suddenly suffering in the heat. The giant Gunnera we moved out of the tunnel last week are looking great but are drinking water at an alarming rate. However the ones still in the tunnel flopped today, so we were much relieved we had moved the others out when we did. Also moved Andy Sturgeon's tree ferns from their winter tunnel out into the sunshine. It was midday and very bright and windy, so we were really worried that the fronds would collapse as soon as they went out. However they were ok...phew. Had meeting this morning with our drivers to prepare for the big move of plants from Somerset to London. Looks like 11 truck loads in all. This is for 2 marquee exhibits and plants for 6 different show gardens. We dread to think how much fuel this is going to cost. Strange to think that in 19days it will all be over, when mayhem is currently all around us! We need some sun now to finish conditioning all the plants ready for the show, but searing heat we do not. Tried on suits last night, and they still fit, so at least no shopping needed before Chelsea. Dave and Rob - Exhibitors https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/05/thirsty_gunnera.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/05/thirsty_gunnera.html Dave Root Fri, 09 May 2008 08:50:16 +0000 Where do we start? We are presenting 2 exhibits in the floral marquee, and also supplying plants for no less than 6 show gardens. It all seemed so straight forward back in September when we took it on, but as Chelsea approaches the stress and worry is increasing daily! Of most concern is the 35 huge Gunnera we are growing for the Daily Telegraph Garden. They are growing at a phenomenal speed, leaves unfurling each day. Some of the plants are now more than 2m tall and 3.5m across in 100L pots. Quite how we get them to London, we do not know...yet!! Its such a late year this year, all of our signature exotics such as Bananas and Colocasia and Canna are refusing to grow much, and we're not sure at the moment what sort of impact they might have on the exhibit. Still there are always plenty of tree ferns to choose from. They are looking amazing. Some of the biggest are more than 5m tall now, thanks to a lovely warm very tall polytunnel. And gallons and gallons of water. Still to be sorted are order forms, plant lists and business cards. And we really ought to think about getting our suits dry cleaned. Think I still have mud on my suit from last time I wore it at Chelsea last year! dave and rob Dave and Rob - Exhibitors https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/05/giant_plant_problems.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/flowershows/2008/05/giant_plant_problems.html Dave Root Thu, 08 May 2008 14:38:35 +0000