For the first time in 108 years, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is to be held in September due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. However, it is a notion welcomed by many attending the show this year as it is a chance to showcase a variety of plants and produce that are prevalent within the autumnal months! Not only will the show be exhibiting some of the finest garden displays to welcome the autumnal season, but it will also be a celebration of the NHS, demonstrated through a beautiful array of show gardens! Additionally, there will be a couple of new show gardens to view this year, with the balcony and container gardens making their first appearance to showcase the developing landscape of city living.
With GFC, it is also a chance for us to celebrate our history and origin of the company. This year, we have adapted our stand to commemorate the history of our place of residence. Once a milking parlour for over 70 years, it was transformed to become our showroom where thousands of people come to view our exceptional products all year round. Our plants, which we have carefully selected, are going to be beautifully presented within milk churns and milking instruments to represent the original function of our now famous showroom! We are also going to be intertwining our renowned furniture within our stand through our Fiji weave wall panels, complimented by our living wall ivy to bring a piece of GFC to Chelsea! It goes without saying that our showroom is packed full of history which we are excited to demonstrate with you all within our stand!
However, you may be wondering how we are going to get our stand looking spotless and sparkling for you all to enjoy at Chelsea! Well, our brilliant installations team at GFC have given us exclusive access to the stand construction which they have been building throughout the days running up to the main event. So, let us have a look at the day-by-day transformation of the GFC stand!
DAY 1
Jonny and his brilliant team arrive the week before with our fantastic products ready to be built and displayed. As you can see, it is going to be a big job for this patch of mud and grass to be transformed to become our amazing stand when we welcome all our visitors!
And so, the work begins! The team starts to unload the truck to get underway with laying the foundations for our stand. It is going to be a lot of work, but the results will be worth it in the end!
DAY 2
And in true British style, the rain has begun! However, a little bit of wet weather does not stop the team from getting the important work done! Now that the foundations are in place, it is time for the floor decking to cover the mud and rain as our stand starts to take shape!
Our celebrated products are now starting to be unpacked and built to make their Chelsea debut! But after a bit of a miserable (and wet) day, you can see the stand is coming together beautifully! Even though there is a bit more work to do, it is satisfying to see the great progress the team are making (even if their socks might be a bit damp)!
DAY 3
With the floor almost complete, the team get to work on building our brilliant products for the stand! Here, you can see our Pergolux Garden Room with motorised roof is under construction and will certainly take centre stage! Our renowned Galaxy Gazebos have also started to take shape, with our highly sought-after Fiji and Meteor products beginning to be placed around the stand.
At the end of Day 3, you can see how hard the team have worked to transform our stand from a wet patch of mud and grass to a brilliant display of our magnificent products ready for you all to enjoy! There is still a long way to go, but the progress is second to none!
DAY 4
Our Fiji wall panels are now in place with our brand-new sign! Soon they will be filled with our fabulous selection of plants for you all to see! Not only will our wall panels be placed around the stand to display our beautiful flowers, but it will also be complementing our fantastic range of rattan furniture!
As the day draws to a close, we can see the furniture is starting to be assembled and it is looking fantastic! The Fiji Apple Day Bed and Fiji Range will be making their mark on the stand, as well as our cosy Kangaroo and Koala chairs making their return with some brand-new colours!
DAY 5
With the show creeping around the corner, the stand is coming together wonderfully! Our Pergolux Gazebo has had the glass doors fitted, with our Paris Sofa suite taking residence underneath the LED motorised roof! If you notice in the corner, you can make out our milking instruments which are starting to be assembled ready for the plants to arrive.
Our stand has completely transformed in a matter of days! All our products are now being positioned and finalised to make sure you can all see what GFC has to offer! As well as our Rattan furniture range, we are going to be displaying our LIFE range including our Soho Corner Lounge Unit which is ready to be unwrapped very soon!
DAY 6
As the team continue to work hard on the stand construction, the planters from ‘Sadie May Studios’ have now arrived to start preparing the stand with our beautiful selection of plants! The wall ivy and the Fiji wall panels look exquisite next to our fabulous sign and are certainly going to be even more sublime in person!
And what is more, our Galaxy Gazebo has been fitted with a unique wall panel made just for Chelsea! The sophisticated and clean-cut panel is engraved with an elegant leaf pattern to complete our Gazebo for the show, with our Madrid Lounge Set residing underneath. With the final preparations underway, it is soon time to unveil our stand to the public in a matter of days!
DAY 7
With the show only a day away, our stand is now being prepped with the final touches! Our furniture looks fabulous next to our newly planted milk churns and milking instruments to showcase our GFC history! What is more, our stunning Pergolux and Galaxy Gazebo are now complete for the opening of the show!
It goes without saying that our stand has transformed into a magnificent display of our staple products and become a beautiful representation of our history. The team has worked tirelessly to make our Chelsea return, and what a magnificent job they have done to ensure our return is bigger than ever before!
SHOW DAY!
And just like magic, the stand is ready and raring to go for you all to visit! It is remarkable how our team have managed to renovate just a patch of mud into an incredible display of all our products!
As you can see, we have already had some excited first visitors taking a seat in our fabulous Kangaroo Chairs, as well as a couple of dazzling disco dancers posing in front of our magnificent plant display! It is safe to say that GFC has arrived at the Chelsea Flower Show in tremendous style!
Our Plant Selection...
This year with the show taking place in the September, many stands and gardens have had to adapt their plant selection to fit in with the autumnal season. So, here is a run-down of all our plants that are going to be making an appearance in our display!
Trees:
Betula Utilis Jacqumontii
Originating from the Himalayas, this silver birch tree will be making a special appearance to our selection of plants for the show. The white bark has a delicate glistening exterior, as well as its striking dark oval green leaves making it an important addition to our stand!
Shrubs:
Hydrangea Paniculata Limelight
Commonly present in China and Japan, the Hydrangea Paniculata Limelight can thrive throughout the year, even in the winter months! With the show now taking place in September, it is a chance to showcase certain plants that are capable to survive the colder weather.
Viburnum Tinus
A popular choice for hedging, the Viburnum Tinus is a beautiful plant that flourishes with pink and white flowers, along with a dark black fruit which can be made into jam!
Prunus Ceracifera Nigra
Recognised as ‘Black Cherry Plum’, this elegant plant is popular for its rich shrubbery and striking black stems. Starting off with a delicate pink blossom in the spring, it begins to transition into a bronze shade for the autumnal months.
Perennials:
Salvia Love and Wishes
From May to October, this stunning foliage is perfect to keep the colder months colourful! The dark stems and rich purple flowers are pleasing to look at, with the additional advantage of being able to grow in containers perfect for your patio!
Nepeta Six Hills Giant
Part of the Catmint family, Nepeta Six Hills Giant is a beautifully aromatic herb that is perfect for summer. Its elusive purple pigment attracts many wildlife and contains a pungent lemony scent.
Rosmarinus Prostrates
Native in the Mediterranean, prostrate rosemary is a very easy herb to look after in any garden setting. In the spring and summer, the shrub grows small blue/purple flowers which can be used in your cooking! Preferably grown in the autumn months, it is a perfect plant to showcase at this year’s show!
Hedera Helix
Widely recognised as English Ivory, Hendra Helix is fast-growing evergreen which is commonly used as a climbing vine. Once established on your fence, the climbing vine can grow up to 80 feet!
Sedum Purple Emperor
Grown for its colourful foliage, the ‘Purple Emperor’ is a striking perennial made up of pink/brown flowers and luscious stems. As the flowers fade in the autumn months, the foliage will last throughout the winter and keep pollinators attracted!
Heuchera Obsidian
Native to North America, this perennial tends to grow with polished burgundy/black leaves which become darker with age. In the summer, their creamy white flowers begin to blossom which compliments the other foliage beautifully. They flourish within the shade, so it is perfect for those rainy autumn days!
Heucherella Sweet Tea
More of a compact perennial, Heucherella Sweet Tea is formed of delicate burnt orange leaves which deepen towards the summer season. In the spring and early summer, the leaves are complimented with small white flowers along the stems.
Echinacea White Swan
This upright perennial is formed with strong stems and striking white daisy-like flowers. Its orange-green centre makes this plant marvellous to look at, as well as providing a powerful nectar for pollinators!
Echinacea Green Jewel
This herbaceous perennial is grown with a distinctive green centre and drooping petals which are popular with butterflies! Flourishing in the summer, these flowers can survive through to the autumn to keep your garden full of colour in the darker months!
Rudbeckia Prairie Glow
Commonly known as ‘black-eyed-susans’, this striking burnt orange flower is perfect for the autumn season. The contrasting yellow tips slightly curve to form a stunning narrowed disk allowing the shape and colours of this flower to be perfect for any garden!
Agapanthus Moonlight Star
Noticeable for its dark violet flowers, this evergreen perennial is a beautiful addition to our stand to showcase the plants that are prominent in the autumn season. These are usually grown within large containers which can ultimately be moved during the winter months, so they stay fresh all year round!
Stipa Pony Tails
More commonly known as ‘Mexican Feathers Grass’, these are decorated with a silver/green flower which makes this perennial a very attractive version of grass! These are a stunning addition to any foliage or floral display to add some volume to your garden!
Carex Frosted Curls
This evergreen perennial is commonly seen within the grasses of New Zealand and is favoured for its unique foliage. The slender glistening leaves allows this plant to create a ‘mop-head’ shape and are also a great way to add a foundation to your display!
Verbena Bonariensis
This fragrant perennial is a stunning shade of lavender purple which blooms from mid-summer to the beginning of winter. Significantly, this perennial reproduces through seeds and self-seeds. In American horticulture, it is also known as ‘Purpletop’ and ‘South American Vervain’.
Liriope Muscari
Deriving from East Asia, the Liriope muscari is a grass-like evergreen foliage which produces lavender/purple flowers and seeded berries in the autumnal months. By being extremely tolerable of drought, it is fitting to place these under any trees and shrubs and especially thrives in well-drained soil in restricted or complete shade!
Molinia Karl Forester
Regularly found by marshlands and riverbanks, Molinia Karl Forester is a delicate grass-like plant which can thrive in many weather conditions. As we are approaching the autumnal season, this perennial will be transforming into a soft golden brown for our display!
We are exceptionally excited and thrilled to be able to see you all again at the Chelsea Flower Show, and especially eager to bring the history of GFC to our stand! Please share your Chelsea experience with us on our socials and make sure to tag us when visiting our incredible stand!
