Chelsea Flower Show: the spoils of the sell-off
Here are the bountiful diascias I spotted on display in the Great Pavilion on the last day of the Chelsea Flower Show. Having fully expected the 4pm sell-off to resemble some kind of elbows-grazing, crazed free-for-all, I was quietly surprised to discover you could reserve plants at some stalls earlier in the day.
Happily for me, there were a few diascias, fuschias and orchids available when I traipsed through at about 1pm - but the majority had already been sold. (Tip for next year: head straight to the Great Pavilion on the last day to get first dibs on the choicest blooms). So when the Chelsea pensioners rang the bell at 4pm, there was a genteel round of applause as everyone lined up in a calm, orderly fashion with their tickets in hand.
Following the flower-laden crowd on the long walk back...
I just managed to peep over my enormous tub of dascias as I headed out towards Sloan Square tube, but not before being accosted by Alan Titchmarsh and a BBC TV crew who exclaimed in a rather bawdy manner, "My, aren't those big?" (Though I was secretly quite chuffed that Alan admired my flowers.)
Here they are in their new home on my balcony. Following instructions from the diascia dude, I gave them a haircut over the weekend. Hopefully the gorgeous peachy flowers will spring back soon.
