Can – or won – brave the crowds at Chelsea Flower Show?
Here’s a rundown of the latest trends which have emerged over the past few days. The British are obsessed with plants. Most people garden at least an hour a week, whether tending a few pots, a roof terrace or a backyard. Garden centres have overtaken home improvement stores in popularity; DIY giants Homebase and B&Q now stock plants and decking. But gardening is, for most, nine-tenths enthusiasm. So what tips can keen amateurs pick up from the experts in SW3, about the latest trends? 1. Plant a purple haze. And plum, blue, magenta and red. “There’s been a move away from soft, cottage garden colours and planting, and colour is very vibrant,” says Beryl Hislop, of North One Garden Centre in Islington, London. Irises, alliums (the purple globes in foreground above) and salvias dominate, contrasted with splashes of white from foxgloves, geraniums or roses. Green genie 2. And go green. Not just by conserving water (see below) but opting for leaves over flowers. “Green was the over-riding co
