Every Spring, gardeners come in droves to see the wonders that lay in wait for them at the glorious Chelsea Flower Show. Exhibitors from around the globe, stretching as far as Trinidad & Tobago and as close as Chelsea itself, present tantalising landscapes to their green-fingers fans.

During the 5 day exhibition 157,000 visitors will pour into this exterior haven to view the fascinating and varied displays of landscaping, planting, stonework and water features, as well as the hundreds of stalls and exhibitors offering an array of garden-related paraphernalia. Whether attending for inspiration or to simply appreciate the displays, the Chelsea flower show holds its reputation of utmost excellence within the world of flora.

Whilst navigating through the hordes of people and trying to steal a glimpse of the idyllic show-gardens, it is easy to forget that an immense amount of hard work, time and money has gone into creating this annual display. Each and every one of the 44 gardens has a different story of the behind-the-scenes-efforts required to create such a wondrous offering.

Only four days before the deadline, the normally-immaculate lawn is strewn with trucks, wheelbarrows, ladders, soil, up-rooted trees and the largest collection of hi-viz jackets ever to be seen on the north side of the river. Site coordinators rush round from garden to garden, providing support for issues from water pressure to electrics, ensuring that each landscaper is working within their plot boundaries and creating the scheme that was agreed and signed off by the RHS committee almost 4 months before.

This year, Light IQ has the pleasure of working with Urbanware to create 'Quilted Velvet', a tranquil garden, inspired by the designs of Escher. The concept is a space in which to escape the stresses of adult life, a place where the minds eye can wander and imagination reigns. The garden's skeleton is based on the infinity symbol, made entirely from rescued water mill slates and complete with a giant red ant. The lighting scheme compliments the purpose of the garden as a space of relaxation and escape; soft illumination gentle glows from behind the glass arch; the texture of the willow trunks are accentuated with up-lighting and light mimics the movement within the depths of the waterfall pool.

Before...

After...

The joint efforts of all landscapers and exhibitors, culminates in the grand launch and judging of the gardens on 19th May to members of the Royal Family and the press, followed by the public opening for five days.

This prestigious event allows designers to demonstrate their landscaping skills and styles, as well as to revel in the honour of being invited to take part in the most famous flower show in Britain.

See more at the live Chelsea web-cam...
http://www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea/2008/live-coverage.asp

For more details on the Quilted Velvet Garden...
http://www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea/2008/urban/mobius-3.asp

http://www.urbanware.co.uk/

Abby.