Country Life at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show: The highlights of the opening day at SW3

First things first....

Allow me to introduce you to the Country Life stand at this year's show. It's called the 'Garden Lover's Library' and it was designed, by hand, by George Saumarez Smith of ADAM Architecture. If you would like to visit, then please make your way to stand PW215, and we'd be delighted to see you.

'I love interiors that include things handed down over the years, with furniture and pictures that don’t quite go together and slightly clashing colour schemes,' says George. 'The defining element of English style is that things are a little bit imperfect.'

Featuring a plethora of vintage gardening books, stone by Somerset specialist Artorius Faber, plants from the gardener Jane Kennerley, wallcoverings by Watts 1874 and furniture by Munder Skiles, the space is a real symphony of British interior design.

If you'd like to find out more about the stand, you can do so by clicking here.

And, of course, we have pictures....

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If seeing the best of British design isn't reason enough to visit our stand, perhaps I could tempt you with some frankly absurd subscription offers? Honestly, as deals go, they don't come much more generous than this.

If you visit the stand, you can buy a year-long subscription to Country Life for £150 and save more than 40% on the cover price. There are also international offers available.

But wait! There's more!

The first 200 subscribers at Chelsea will receive a bottle of The Grange Classic Sparkling NV, worth £39. Rated 94 points by Decanter magazine, this premium sparkling wine from Hampshire was described in Country Life (that's us) as ‘the connoisseur’s choice’. Offer available with subscriptions for UK delivery only.

If you see any typos, please forgive me, as I stayed up too late last night watching Aaron Rai win the USPGA Championship. First English winner of the tournament in 107 years! That's almost as long as Country Life has been around (129 years). That 69ft putt on the 17th was crazy. Congratulations to Aaron.

Right, now back to flowers and things of that nature. Prepare yourself for the first of our Chelsea in Three video series, which we'll posting periodically throughout the day....

First up, here's Country Life's Interiors Editor Giles Kime answering three quick-fire questions on his 'flower of the hour', lawns vs wildflower meadows and to gnome, or not to gnome.

First bit of news from the day (apart from the unveiling of Country Life's glorious stand) is that David Beckham has had a new rose designed for him. It is called the David Beckham Rose and the new variety was created by David Austin Roses. You can go and see it at David Austin's rose-filled garden (GPF075) and the rose is available to purchase now.

The David Beckham rose is an English shrub rose, and was created as a gift by Harper Beckham to her father for his 50th birthday. As well as being a 'symbol of enduring love', the rose also supports the King's Foundation, where Sir David serves as an ambassador. A donation of £2.50 from every sale will be given to the charity, which works to build sustainable communities and provide practical education programmes.

Gaze upon the rose of Sir David below...

I am receiving the first whispers of Show Gardens from my army of roving reporters on the ground. Some initial thoughts coming imminently. Contain your excitement if you can.

First reaction: 'It all feels very calm and peaceful and reflective'

Rosie Paterson, Digital Content Director at Country Life, has been walking around the grounds of the Royal Hospital this morning. Here are her initial thoughts from the show.

'Every year there's a lot of water, water features, pools, lazy river-style waterways, but unlike other years, there's nothing dramatic about the water this year. There's nothing really fast flowing, no waterfalls, or at least not as much as there has been in the past. It's very calm, very relaxing, lots of contemplative pools. The Natural Swimming Pool Company has a tradestand where they've built a miniature natural swimming pool.'

'It all feels very calm and peaceful and reflective, especially in the show gardens, I haven't come across any with hard edges to the planting.'

As much as the Show Gardens are considered the real stars of RHS Chelsea, I am a man who has spent the majority of his life in cities. I have also found extreme joy in the ability of people to plant and create nature in the smallest of places. In short, I am a sicko for a well-stocked balcony.

Which is good, because RHS Chelsea has plenty of those. Viking UK, the river, ocean and expedition cruise company, has sponsored this delightful balcony garden, titled 'A Little Garden of Shared Knowledge'. Look how much stuff they've squeezed into such a small space.

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This is the fifth consecutive year that Viking has sponsored a balcony garden (when you think about, cruise ships have quite a lot of balconies). The garden was designed by Katerina Kantalis for an imaginary, well-travelled retired couple with a passion for horticulture and the Arts. Not sure how imaginary that is, as I would consider most of our readers to be all of those things.

Rosie Paterson: 'We have our first sighting of Alan Titchmarsh...'

For those that don't know, Alan Titchmarsh is the gardening equivalent of Punxsutawney Phil. Once he's been spotted within the grounds of the Royal Hospital, the Flower Show can officially begin.

'The garden is so different, on different levels, and so is Parkinson’s'

Some images and quotes now from Caroline Rassell, CEO of Parkinson's UK. The charity has created 'A Garden for Every Parkinson's Journey', which was inspired by the Parkinson's community, and designed to support the many symptoms of the disease.

'The garden has been pulled together by people who have Parkinson's, as well as our brilliant designer Arit Anderson, whose sister has Parkinson's, and every single section tells something about a symptom of Parkinson's,' says Caroline.

'So that beautiful handrail that you can see is there to help people if they become unsteady, because sometimes people with Parkinson's have problems walking, but also the water that's running through it acts as a prompt. Sometimes people with Parkinson's freeze, they literally can't move, and they need something that helps them start to move forward again and that the audible cue from the water is something that will help people if they freeze to then move forward again.

So the beauty of what you see is actually telling the story [of Parkinson’s].

We've got a rose that's been specifically designed for us called the Parkinson's resilience rose, and that's a scentless rose. One of the symptoms of Parkinson's is that you lose your sense of smell.

So again that represents something that people with Parkinson's will resonate with, and we're actually funding groundbreaking research to understand why people lose their sense of smell, and if that is something that we can address in any way.

Five pounds from every rose sale goes towards Parkinson's UK research. and yes, it's available to anybody who wants to buy this beautiful Harkness rose. And then there is a beautiful night garden, there's a shelter and underneath that there are white plants, where it's very calm and very tranquil, because again, one of the symptoms of Parkinson's is insomnia.

'The garden is so different on different levels, and so is Parkinson’s. Once you’ve met one person with Parkinson’s, you’ve met one person with Parkinson’s, and this as varied as everybody with Parkinson’s.'

Chelsea in Three: Rosie Paterson

Next up to run the gauntlet of gnome-related nonsense is our Digital Content Director, Rosie Paterson.

I was worried that I might not have enough stuff to post about, but I honestly cannot type fast enough. I am not usually a coffee drinker, but I'm on my fourth cup already.

Behold, a giant washing machine

'This washing machine is 10ft tall and covered in flowers. Why is it here?' asks Toby Keel.

'It’s a stand created by Lucy Lewis of Sparsholt College, showcasing Washday Hues, which has been created to explore the historical relationship between fabrics and plants. Everything on the stand is used to dye fabrics a range of colours.'

Neat. Reminds me, I've got a giant pile of washing to do back at home. Maybe even more than a 10ft-tall machine can handle. There's just never enough time in the day you know? And then you have to hang it all up and fold it and put it all away and gosh it never ends....

Alan Titchmarsh and Frances Tophill spotted holding gnomes

To celebrate the playful tradition at the King's residence at Highgrove, Alan Titchmarsh CBE, Tom Allen, Frances Tophill, Bill Bailey and Angellica Bell appear with the gnomes they have painted to raise money for the RHS Campaign for School Gardening. They are joined by Melissa Simpson, Head of Horticulture at The Kings Foundation, and garden contractor, Jake Catling from The Landscaping Consultants.

A reminder, the RHS usually bans gnomes at the Chelsea Flower Show, but has allowed them this year in order to raise money for the RHS' work with schools. Sir Brian May, Cate Blanchett and Dame Mary Berry have also painted gnomes, which will be auctioned off online from May 15–24.

Speaking of Tom Allen....

Chelsea in Three: Tom Allen

Comedian, singer and garden favourite Tom Allen stopped by the Country Life stand to answer vital questions, such as 'what is your favourite flower' and 'to gnome or not to gnome'.

Peonies seem to be a lot of people's favourite plants (including, but not limited to, my ex-girlfriend). So I've dispatched Toby Keel to go and find some. He has returned with this display from Primrose Hill Peonies.

'Primrose Hill Peonies isn't a dance troupe from North London, but instead a Bedfordshire nursery growing RHS Gold Medal winning flowers — and also holding the "Plant Heritage National Collection for intersectional peony varieties" — or so it says in their flyer'

Thank you Toby.

My favourite flower, in case anyone was wondering, is a snowdrop. Specifically the 'grumpy' variety.

Where do all the gardens go?

It's only the first day, but it is a curious question. What happens to all the gardens after the show is finished? We've got the answers.

'Every year, people ask what happens to the gardens and plants at Chelsea,' says Toby Keel. 'This year, there’s a stand dedicated to showing the answer. Wayward Plants are the RHS’s partners in What Happens Next, with schools, hospitals and many more places ending up homing exhibits from the show.'

We also asked RHS Chelsea Judge and all-around great guy James Alexander-Sinclair to explain it in a bit more detail, which you can read about here

Bit of shameless self-promotion incoming. A reminder that you can visit Country Life at stand PW215. Come see the Garden Lover's Library. You're reading a blog about RHS Chelsea, which means you probably like both reading and gardens. And probably libraries too.

We've asked some of Country Life's editorial team what they like about the stand. Have a read below.

Giles Kime, Interiors Editor: 'The collection of gardening book that George Saumarez Smith has put together specially for the Show, and which he is giving to his fiancée Jane when they get married this summer'

Mark Hedges, Editor: 'The fireplace where you can see on it — my degree was in geology — the fragments of fossils. They’re called crinoids. They’re very primitive sort of razor clams. And I think the blue-grey colour picks out the wall colour so well'

A reminder that you can read all about the stand by clicking here...

Extremely perfect example of orchid wins RHS Order of Merit

Earlier in the day, Rosie Paterson caught up with Jacob James, founder and director of GrowTropicals, to discuss orchids. Jacob has turned up to RHS Chelsea with many delightful plants under his proverbial belt, but one in particular has caught the eye of the judges....

'That one, which is not on the desk at the moment because they're taking photos in the corner, that's Cymbidium faberi 'Guam'. That one won an Order of Merit, which is a really prestigious award for the RHS,' Jacob says.

'It's the first time they've ever issued one at Chelsea Flower Show, because normally it has to go to a meeting where they inspect it, but because they come from China, they made an exception and held an extraordinary meeting here to judge it. And that's to do with having a perfect example of the flower. That was this morning. Hot off the press, the certificates have only just been written.'

You can see this glorious plant, as well as more orchids than you can shake a stick at, at the GrowTropicals stand in the Great Pavilion.

No trip to south-west or central London is complete without a visit to Petersham Nurseries. Their stand at RHS Chelsea is about as glamorous as you would expect, says Toby Keel.

The stand is inspired by the conservatory of Petersham House, with this studio designed to be a 'retreat'. It's 'rooted in the restorative rhythm of the natural world' and is a place where 'conversations unfold and the mind settles'. Delightful.

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A sensible question might be: 'what is the complete and total opposite of Petersham Nurseries'. We are glad you asked. We reckon it's this installation from Lovehoney, titled Aphrodite's Hothouse. 'More Soho than Chelsea,' says Toby Keel.

Former 'Girl in Pearls' observes Tate Britain Garden

Grayson Perry CBE RA is one of the many artists and celebrities attending RHS Chelsea today. He's pictured above in the Tate Britain Garden, 'an engaging and sustainable landscape which presents a new vision for how art, nature and community come together.'

A reminder that he was once a Frontispiece (or 'Girl in Pearls') for Country Life, back in 2020. His biography at the time noted that he is 'an artist, broadcaster, lecturer, transvestite, television addict, worshipper of teddy bears and keen cyclist'.

Grayson will also lead children from a local primary school in an art activity next to Barbara Hepworth's sculpture Bicentric Form, the first time a work from the nation's art collection has been shown at RHS Chelsea.

'I could tell the plant anything I wanted to, about anything, and my secrets would be safe with it'

Rosie Paterson has caught up with Jane Kennerley, who designed and arranged all the beautiful plants and flowers on the Country Life stand, to ask her what her favourite plant is in the 'Garden Lover's Library'. She says it's an Aspidistra, and this particular example has quite the story to tell...

'When I was a very small child, my grandmother lived in London, and when we went to visit her, she would let me wipe down the leaves with a damp cloth, and it was her pride and joy. She loved the plant so much, It lived in the corner,' Jane says.

'She had lived through two World Wars and had lots of stories to tell that maybe she didn't want to share with other people. She told me that I could tell the plant anything I wanted to, about anything, and my secrets would be safe with it.'

Jane added that her grandmother talking to the plant was a form of therapy. 'Her husband was gassed and she lost her son in the war. When she died, the aspidistra come to live with us and so she lived on.'

And if you want to tend to an aspidistra at home, Jane has some advice:

'They're the easiest plants to grow, just don't put them in the sun, put them in the shade and talk to them. I know it sounds crazy and people have said it in the past, but it's part of the family. Don't overwater it, ignore it if you want to sometimes. It will forgive you. They're just very easy.'

Wear proper shoes, don't be afraid of the rain and stick around for the sell off: A beginner's guide to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show

We're expecting a lot of new faces at RHS Chelsea this year, as gardening gets more and more popular. Are you visiting the Royal Hospital for the first time this year? If yes, and you're worried about what to do when you get there, we've put together a little 'first-time guide' for you with the help of Chelsea supremo James Alexander-Sinclair, so you can blend in among those who have been going for years and make the most of your day (or days).

'I have been coming to the show for more years than I care to remember in many different guises,' says James. 'My first visit was just as the show closed on a Friday afternoon (opening hours have since been extended to Saturday) and I arrived with a wheelbarrow on a hunt for cheap plants. Since then, I have designed a couple of gardens, helped people plant things, worked as a gardens judge (for the past 20 years), led numerous tours and guided the Royal Family around the show ground.'

'By which I mean to say that I know the show pretty well and have experienced it in many ways and in every weather condition from insufferably hot to chilling rain. Many of you will be going for the first time, so here is my eight point plan to guide you through it'

1. Wear sensible shoes

I know this is not terribly horticultural, but pavements are hard and you are walking a long way. You are also in a crowd, so run the distinct risk of having someone tread on your toes.

2. Take a friend

A flower show is much more enjoyable in company. You need someone to disagree with or to draw your attention to something unmissable. For years (before I started judging and stuff), I went with a friend of mine and we would stand in front of each garden and decide which element we would take out that would improve the garden. Simplicity in garden design is always important so it was never a question of ‘what would you add to this garden’, but always about what you would take away. It also gives you someone with whom to share the terrifying cost of a jug of Pimms.

3. Patience

This is not only a virtue, but a Chelsea essential. Unless you are lucky enough to get a pass for after hours or (even better) the very early morning, you are not going to get much alone time! Every garden will be surrounded by people four or five ranks deep. There is no point grumbling or pushing and shoving. Wait a bit and slowly shuffle forwards. The people in front of you will move away and you will get the views you need. Slow and steady is the secret.

4. Exploit the weather

Occasionally it rains during the show. This is not necessarily all bad if you are well prepared. When it does rain a lot of the crowds will take refuge in the Great Pavilion: if you have an umbrella and a decent pair of shoes (see point one) then this is your moment to get a closer look at the gardens.

5. Have a plan, but be prepared to stray from it

There will be a shedload of publicity leading up to the show drawing your attention to particular gardens, to rare plants, to new products and things you MUST NOT miss. Check out the social media accounts of the designers (and the RHS) and make a note of anything particularly exciting. This year we have already seen tantalising snippets of the enormous head that Sarah Eberle (the only person to have won a Gold Medal in every available category at the show) has in her garden for the CPRE, of Arit Anderson's garden for Parkinson's UK, and of the garden Francis Tophill has designed for the RHS with the aid of The King, Sir David Beckham and Alan Titchmarsh.

6. Medals — do they matter?

To most people, not a lot, but they are really important to the people who have made the gardens or grown the plants, and they definitely add a frisson of extra excitement. We start judging on the Saturday before the show opens and it is a long and rigorous process. The main problem is that different people like different things so we have concocted a way in which everything is judged objectively. Most of the medals are given out at around 8am on the Tuesday so, if you want to see it happen live, then you need to be a member of the RHS and an early bird. The announcement of the Best in Show award is usually around 11am. The People's Choice award is revealed towards the end of the week.

7. Allow lots of time

Don't get so carried away with the joys of the Great Pavilion or Main Avenue that you miss the Houseplant Studios or (the most popular category in recent years) the Container and Balcony Gardens. And there are a lot of shopping opportunities, from massive treehouses costing thousands of pounds, to simple packets of seeds.

8. Stick around for the sell off

A bell will be rung (by either a celebrity or a Chelsea pensioner) at the end of the day on Saturday. This signals the end of the show and the sell off. This is your chance to get hold of some cheap plants. Bear in mind, however, that they will have had a hard couple of weeks at the Show and will need a bit of tender loving care to get them back into shape. Take them home, plant them quickly and look after them well and you will always have a tangible souvenir of a very special day.

Chelsea in Three: Bella Fulford

The work that goes on to produce RHS Chelsea is unfathomable, so we must always remember those who have spent many early mornings and late nights putting everything together. One such member of the team is our own Editorial Assistant Bella Fulford, who briefly stopped working on the stand she helped realise and to reveal her thoughts on gnomes, wildflowers and flowers. Will she also choose a peony? Probably!

Toby has found a small train. He is delighted by this, as he should be. The train can be found on the stand of Greg Anderson, the founder of Leafy Lytham, which is based at Grade I-listed Lytham Hall in Lancashire.

A plaque on the stand reveals the inspiration behind the train. 'Greg played with his train set with his grandfather who taught him to garden. This little scene is inspired by many happy moments in Gran and Grandad's garden playing with trains among the cottage garden flowers.'

Do you know how many varieties of daffodils there are? If you guessed 'almost 32,000', then well done to you. I always assumed that there was just 'daffodil'. Maybe that's why I've been left at the office to do the blogging.

Anyway, here are some varieties from the fourth-generation family business known as Taylors Bulbs, which has been going since 1919. The Tullybeg variety is a personal favourite of Rosie Paterson, as they flower into May.

I have just eaten a giant bowl of pasta in about 15 minutes, so there's every chance the inevitable heartburn I am about to experience might slow down my posting, but I shall do my best to persevere

Take a look: The RHS and The King's Foundation Curious Garden

After all the excitement of the morning, and my hastily eaten lunch, it's time to have a look at some of our favourite gardens on show this year. First up, The RHS and The King's Foundation Curious Garden, designed by Frances Tophill (whomst was holding a gnome alongside Alan Titchmarsh earlier this morning).

This garden 'explores and celebrates the diverse nature of plants and all the ways they enrich our lives and our industries', and intends to inspire the next generation of planters and gardeners, who grow for 'health, happiness and the environment'. The just-announced Sir David Beckham rose is one of the key plants, alongside delphiniums, wheat, Coreopsis tinctoria, pistachio and mulberry.

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At the heart of the garden is the oak framed 'museum of garden curiosities', where fabrics and cordage are woven from plants, while dyes and pigments are extracted from plants. After the show, the garden will be transplanted to a college for young adults, where the dye garden plants will be used by fashion students and the vegetables and herbs by catering students.

Grow your own Range Rover

Rosie Paterson reports from the Range Rover Cloister, where something is growing within the bushes. Is it... an electric Range Rover? Apparently so. The car will be available this year and Range Rover's feature garden is inspired by cloistered architecture, water features (keep those away from any charging plugs), pollinator-friendly planting and sculptural hornbeam columns. Talk about creating a buzz! I'll show myself out.

An Edwardian revival with a swinging seat

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Giles Kime, Interiors Editor, gets in touch to praise the stand at ODD, who make swinging seats. They're 'a thing', he says, and notes they are a good way of getting colour outside. They also feature very deep, decorative fringing, notes our man in Havana*

*SW3

What to eat at RHS Chelsea: The Lobster Roll – 'not overly sauced'

Some might say the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is about flowers and gardens and implements, but to some of the team, it is also about food. As such, we will try and review the best bites to eat while at the show, because we here at Country Life yearn for you to have the finest things in life, at all times, in all places.

One of the staples is the lobster roll. Rosie Paterson reports thusly: 'We really liked the amount of lobster, the warm bun and not overly sauced. It was presented beautifully with edible flowers on top.'

Country Life score: 8/10

We've had lots of visitors to the stand today, which has been a delight. James Martin, Clare Balding, Shirley Ballas and Monty Don have all stopped by to sign the visitors book.

Do come say hello at some point this week!

Water, water everywhere

Rosie Paterson mentioned earlier on her first foray around the show that there's plenty of calm running water about. We've stitched together some footage from the Show Gardens to show you what she means. Have a soothing watch below.

Take a look: Tokonoma Garden – Sanumaya no Niwa

Defending 'Best in Show' winner Kazuyuki Ishihara returns, alongside Paul Noritaka Tange, to present the Tokonoma Garden — Sanumaya no Niwa. The garden aims to revive the tradition of viewing a beautiful landscape from the tokonoma, a raised alcove that was once central to life in Japan, serving as a place where family meals, conversations and hospitality convened while enjoying view of a garden beyond.

A mixture of stone, water, moss and seasonal plants will aim to create a feeling of contemplation, harmony and connection and takes inspiration from the Ishihara's childhood memories of the Sanumaya draper store, where his family gathered.

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'Chelsea is the ultimate stage to share the culture of Japanese gardens with the world, offering invaluable opportunities to connect with visitors, media, and fellow designers,' says Ishihara, who was once dubbed the 'Green Magician' by Elizabeth II. 'This year, I decided to take part to present a new proposal — the Tokonoma Garden, inspired by the historic "Sanumaya Kimono Shop," reinterpreting a traditional space for the modern age.'

Rosie has found some rusty cows. Observe.

These 'Highland coo' sculptures are the creation of Kev Paxton and Cat Stops, otherwise known as ArtFe. They combine centuries-old blacksmithing techniques with salvaged steel to create 'something bold and unapologetic', in this case a cow with a traffic cone on its head.

Chelsea in Three: Florence Allen

She's been busy scurrying around the show capturing pictures and video for your social medias, but she's found a minute to stop and turn the camera on herself. Here's our Social Media Editor Florence Allen on gnomes, wildflowers, lawns and flowers.

'It smells absolutely delicious': Country Life Editor Mark Hedges' five favourite things from RHS Chelsea 2026

Mark Hedges, the supreme leader of all things Country Life, has spent the day exploring the grounds at RHS Chelsea as well as meeting and greeting guests on the stand. He's very kindly let me know the five things that have really impressed him this year.

1) The Show Gardens

I think one of the first things that struck me, because what you do as soon as you get here is you look at the show gardens, and they're all wonderful. But when heading down the hill rather than up the hill, on the left, you finally come to the Japanese garden.

And there's a little piece of water there that is so tranquil and so reflective, it will have to be one of my favourite things. Anyone who knows me, knows I love fishing, so anything to do with water is always fascinating.

I think the show gardens are particularly strong this year. It would be unfair to pick out another one other than to say that they are particularly magical. They are, they're very good.

2) The orchids of Orchid Conservation Chelsea

My second thing that I was very struck by was the orchid stand, which has already triumphed this morning and won a set of prizes for an orchid that was important to Confucius.

So that is many thousands of years, but they brought it back together. It is all part of Chinese culture and it's amazing to think that's something that Confucius saw and also went on to inspire Coco Chanel when she was producing Chanel Number 5, is here at Chelsea, and they have orchids that have never been seen before in Europe here as well.

3) The daffodils

The third thing that struck me is the humble daffodil.

There is a stand, it's here almost every year and I've been coming for 21 years. When you see lots of different daffodils altogether you're reminded of how pleasing daffodils are.

I used to not like daffodils, but now as you get older, spring and the change of the season becomes more important, and I will be investing in a whole new set of daffodils for home.

4) The food

The 4th thing that I think is so much better this year is the food. There is far more variety of of food stands than there were of a much better class than they have had.

And what I mean by class is that there's much more choice. There is José Pizarro, there is also Ottolenghi, there is far more far more interesting things to eat than there has been before.

And that can only be a good thing because you're here for a whole day.

5) The Garden Lover's Library by Country Life

Finally, the thing that I'm actually most proud of is our own, the Country Life stand, which George Saumarez Smith has put together. It is extraordinarily beautiful. I know how much time, effort and work has gone into doing it. It is a delightful space that anyone would wish to have in their own home.

It's surrounded, it is cosy, it is deliberately not set out that every plant is perfect because they represent, what is I suppose is an ideal, rather than perfection. Where there are lots of plants, all in perfect bloom, that's not real. So I think our stand is very, very special and it smells absolutely delicious.

It has lots and lots of books that have been collected especially especially for the bookshelf and also being a geologist, the stone, which is all British and Irish stone is truly fantastic.

The fireplace is made out of a sort of limestone marble from the Chatsworth estate, full of fossils, especially crinoids, and is a geologist's dream. Do come and see it, it's fantastic.

What to eat at RHS Chelsea: Fish and Chips – 'the perfect posh fry'

Mark Hedges mentioned how good the food is at the Chelsea Flower Show this year, so we'll round out the day with another instalment of What to eat at RHS Chelsea: fish and chips edition. Our in-house gastronome Rosie Paterson has this to say.

'Very generously sized portion, with crisp batter and excellently cooked fish. It's not dry, it's moist and flaky. My only issue is that the fish doesn't have the most amount of flavour. The fries are the perfect posh fry and we love the lemony mushy peas.'

Country Life score: 7/10

Goodbye for the day

That's enough RHS Chelsea for me today.

To those that have been following along, thank you so much, and the good news for you is that I'll be back in the content mines at 8am sharp tomorrow morning, with lots of videos of celebrities considering gnomes, more food reviews, more Show Gardens, the judging results, other things to do in SW3 and plenty of plants.

Have a great evening!