Of course Chelsea isn’t just about the show gardens, they do make up a huge and important part of the show but there’s so many other parts to it, like the trade stands. These displays all focused around their products, can hold not only great products but also great plants and ideas.

Niwaki not only had great Japanese pruning tools but an even better way to find a lost loved one in the crowds. Think They missed a trick and should of charged for each person found!

Griffin glasshouses stand made you think that could well be your greenhouse in your garden, although wouldn’t be mine as there was no dead plants in corners, compost everywhere and far too tidy, at least I could dream

I am a sucker for clay pots and these are stunning, love the box in there as well

Now I just loved these sculptured flower buds or seed heads, really gave great contrast next to the box balls and alliums, great looking product.

Got to say give the Hartley Botonical’s stand a mechion brilliantly designed by the Garden Ninja aka Lee who have only been a designer for 3yrs, first time at a show and wins the best trade stand for the design, top bloke as well. welldone fella!

A no frame glasshouse looked amazing but how practical would it be?

Sorry had to add this sign and how true is it!

Lastly there was the Great Pavillon and this was filled with plant delights and stands that took your breathe away, it is wonderful to met and talk to the growers and the people you spent ages building the stands. I really enjoy wondering around taking in the sites and smells that came from them all. I was there on the last day of the show and yet the stands were still looking great. Only one small negative point for me was the tickets added to the plants as people brought them, seeing cloakroom tickets scattered all over a stand really makes them look ugly and takes away from the otherwise beauty of the stand, these starting appearing from mid day and it did spoil my enjoyment of some of them. That was a small negative and I know Nurseries want to sell of the plants but there must be a slightly better way of doing it. Other wise some of the stands where stunning

Have to say the Hillier Nurseries gold winning stand was in my top 3 for all the gardens I saw, expertly designed and built, I loved the plants and planting, so well thought out

Burncoose is one of my favourite Nurseries and with so many stunning plants unavailable from anywhere else, it’s no wonder why

As are Hardys cottage plants, always great range and quality of plants from them, with stands that are just so beautiful as well thought out

And let’s not forget DownDerrys excellent stand full of lavender, again a real eye catcher

The Eucalyptus stand I though was also excellent, showing their wide range of uses and well as the range of plants that can be grown, a much under rated plant

David Austin roses never fail to excite, not only with a mix of new roses but also some great classics shining though

And the same with Peter Beales roses, love the old ruin effect filled with one of my favourite plants

As for this clematis stand by Raymond Evison Just blew me away, so well thought out and just full of colour

And this stand highlighting the British cutflower industry summed the whole show up for me, full of colour, excellent use of plants, many being used in a skillful way, to highlight different causes while entertaining you and delighting the eyes.

I throughly enjoyed the day, seeing the hard work and pride so many parts or our industry take on putting on what is a showing off the best of our industry. A big thank you goes to Griffin Glasshouses for the tickets