Join me for two days at Chelsea 2025—strolling through serene masterpieces and bustling crowds, where calm meets chaos, dogs steal the show, and one controversial rose has everyone talking.
Thank you very much Helen.That's extremely kind. I think everyone should see the spectacle once. You may love it. You may hate it. But best to know for sure. I am going to Hampton Court this year too. Looking forward to it.
Good grief, Elliott. A masterpiece, truly. My morning cuppa routine was interrupted by an automated notification from you in my Inbox, and I just had to put it at the front of the queue.
You are extremely eloquent, a literary genius. I LOVED this.
Since suffering with crowds since the pandemic, I’ve not made it to Chelsea since becoming a gardener 3 years ago!
I love your honesty, which is very impressionable and I’m now sat here questioning when I will visit!
An absolutely immersive article, Elliott, that I’m going to share with a garden writer friend of mine since we both became members of the garden media guild last year.
Wow! Gina that is extremely kind! Thank you so much!
I don't enjoy crowds either. Since my multiple mental health crises, crowds are overwhelming (as are multiple sound sources and multicoloured lights for some reason). I'd love for you to go on Press Day but it's not straightforward. The RHS have changed rules, but I am sure someone of your class and skill and publishing credentials would be issued with a pass. I'll be writing a follow-up piece for those (like us) that cannot handle the crowds.
So unusual for me. Makes me feel really quite old. I used to go raving and clubbing in the 90s. Now Christmas lights and department store sound systems make me feel nauseous and trigger full blown anxiety attacks. I will definitely share some tips!
The best article I’ve read about Chelsea by far Elliott! You’ve captured the feeling of press day beautifully and I can imagine how the gardens looked and felt even though I couldn’t attend this year! Bravo!
I’m a new follower of yours and have to say I fully enjoyed your article. Usually I get half way through and abandon the rest out of boredom but yours was so refreshing and funny. I fully agree with you about the DA rose. Not what I was expecting at all and the more I look at it the less I like it.
Hello and thank you for following along. That’s lovely to hear! I do hope to entertain as well as inform. It’s a new direction for me, rather than the plodding ‘how to’ garden articles.
Ooof! Yes. That rose. Really makes me cringe! Thanks for the great comment! E
For those of us who will never have the chance to attend, your report is PERFECTION...part gardener, part student, part reporter and part naughty tattler. Loved every minute of it all! Thank you Elliott.
Yes, I do think of you as a chum. Thank you for being at Chelsea on my behalf and bringing me such wonderful descriptions. Marvellous writing, as always
It's been a very long time since I was last at Chelsea but you have captured it gloriously and I loved the "people watching" bit, so true and oh so funny.
Looking forward to more updates from your experience of Chelsea, which I am sure will be just as delightful.
Hopefully, sore feet and back are feeling better now after a bit of a much deserved rest.
Hello Tricia. Thank you! That's really very kind. So glad you enjoyed it. I think I probably looked a little weird dictating notes into my phone but there's so much priceless detail - especially on the people front ;-) Feet and back mended. Head still a little fuzzy.
I loved this Elliot thank you! As a new gardener Chelsea is on the bucket list. However, the crowds do worry me, so your report has been incredibly helpful. Maybe next year I’ll brave it💚
Ah, thank you for reading. Chelsea is worth the visit, even if it's only the once. I went last year and that was my first. It rained all day and was freezing and miserable. But I still wanted to go back.
It's the blend of inspiration, festival-like atmosphere, with a coating of absolute madness and general outrageousness. Definitely one for the bucket list.
The crowds are there. This year it it felt quite mellow. The weather helps. The sun keeps visitors happy and calm. I found a quite picnic area in the corner of the showground that's almost entire detached. Quiet and peaceful. So that't my destination when I feel overwhelmed by the crowds.
Thank you Elliott. An absolutely brilliant read. Your enthusiasm is endless and descriptive writing is beautiful.
I have never been to Chelsea, but would like to one day, I have been to Hampton Court many times but the two can't be compared.
Thank you very much Helen.That's extremely kind. I think everyone should see the spectacle once. You may love it. You may hate it. But best to know for sure. I am going to Hampton Court this year too. Looking forward to it.
Fabulous post Elliott thank you🙏I felt I was there with you such detail
Looking forward to your next post💜
Good grief, Elliott. A masterpiece, truly. My morning cuppa routine was interrupted by an automated notification from you in my Inbox, and I just had to put it at the front of the queue.
You are extremely eloquent, a literary genius. I LOVED this.
Since suffering with crowds since the pandemic, I’ve not made it to Chelsea since becoming a gardener 3 years ago!
I love your honesty, which is very impressionable and I’m now sat here questioning when I will visit!
An absolutely immersive article, Elliott, that I’m going to share with a garden writer friend of mine since we both became members of the garden media guild last year.
She’ll relish the read I know.
Gina Dover-Jaques
Wow! Gina that is extremely kind! Thank you so much!
I don't enjoy crowds either. Since my multiple mental health crises, crowds are overwhelming (as are multiple sound sources and multicoloured lights for some reason). I'd love for you to go on Press Day but it's not straightforward. The RHS have changed rules, but I am sure someone of your class and skill and publishing credentials would be issued with a pass. I'll be writing a follow-up piece for those (like us) that cannot handle the crowds.
I look forward to the follow-up piece on handling crowds. I too find multiple sound sources debilitating.
So unusual for me. Makes me feel really quite old. I used to go raving and clubbing in the 90s. Now Christmas lights and department store sound systems make me feel nauseous and trigger full blown anxiety attacks. I will definitely share some tips!
The best article I’ve read about Chelsea by far Elliott! You’ve captured the feeling of press day beautifully and I can imagine how the gardens looked and felt even though I couldn’t attend this year! Bravo!
Oh wow Sophie! That's so very kind. Thank you. That's really appreciated.
I’m a new follower of yours and have to say I fully enjoyed your article. Usually I get half way through and abandon the rest out of boredom but yours was so refreshing and funny. I fully agree with you about the DA rose. Not what I was expecting at all and the more I look at it the less I like it.
Hello and thank you for following along. That’s lovely to hear! I do hope to entertain as well as inform. It’s a new direction for me, rather than the plodding ‘how to’ garden articles.
Ooof! Yes. That rose. Really makes me cringe! Thanks for the great comment! E
For those of us who will never have the chance to attend, your report is PERFECTION...part gardener, part student, part reporter and part naughty tattler. Loved every minute of it all! Thank you Elliott.
And thank you for the utterly brilliant comment. I like being a naughty tattler ;-)
Yes, I do think of you as a chum. Thank you for being at Chelsea on my behalf and bringing me such wonderful descriptions. Marvellous writing, as always
Ah, thank you. Happy to oblige my gardening chum.
An excellent article, thank you for your thorough review.
Thank you for reading! That's very kind. think it would be an hour long read for a 'thorough' review and even then I would have to skimp on detail ;-)
Thank you for such a great review.
Thank you!
This is absolutely brilliant Elliot.
It's been a very long time since I was last at Chelsea but you have captured it gloriously and I loved the "people watching" bit, so true and oh so funny.
Looking forward to more updates from your experience of Chelsea, which I am sure will be just as delightful.
Hopefully, sore feet and back are feeling better now after a bit of a much deserved rest.
Tricia 💚
Ps. I agree about that rose.
Hello Tricia. Thank you! That's really very kind. So glad you enjoyed it. I think I probably looked a little weird dictating notes into my phone but there's so much priceless detail - especially on the people front ;-) Feet and back mended. Head still a little fuzzy.
I loved this Elliot thank you! As a new gardener Chelsea is on the bucket list. However, the crowds do worry me, so your report has been incredibly helpful. Maybe next year I’ll brave it💚
Ah, thank you for reading. Chelsea is worth the visit, even if it's only the once. I went last year and that was my first. It rained all day and was freezing and miserable. But I still wanted to go back.
It's the blend of inspiration, festival-like atmosphere, with a coating of absolute madness and general outrageousness. Definitely one for the bucket list.
The crowds are there. This year it it felt quite mellow. The weather helps. The sun keeps visitors happy and calm. I found a quite picnic area in the corner of the showground that's almost entire detached. Quiet and peaceful. So that't my destination when I feel overwhelmed by the crowds.
Thank you so much for this helpful response 💚
Loved your ‘report’ of the show! Informative and entertaining!
Thank you!
A lovely read - you’ve summed up Chelsea so well. I agree with you about the DA rose!
Thank you! Hehe! Such a disappointment. Oh well, here's to a return to form next year!