Tatton Park 2008:Flower Bed Competion

The show at Tatton Park was the tenth one this year.I went with Hils,Fran,Angela, and Julia from work to see the summer RHS flower show.It was extremely hot, very busy, and was great fun to walk around.The show is set in the grounds of the Tatton Park estate, a rural setting in Cheshire.The show is the only one that has a national flower bed competition.There are nineteen spots for councils and colleges to enter.
This first photo is of the entry from Stoke On Trent city council called let us entertain you, reflecting its birthplace of many entertainers.The musical notes flow around the flowers.the title is a nod to its most famous entertainer Robbie Williams.

The second photo is from the Bury metropolitan coucil display called Reg Harris Cycle Maestro.I love the colours. All the designs were so beautifully put together.Every plant was in perfect condition even on the last day.This was truly art from bedding plants.

The entry from Cheltenham Borough Council was one of my favourites.The Helicopter had over six thousand plants to make it. In 2007 Gloucestershire was hit by floods and the water damaged the Cheltenham display so they withdrew.This year they took the inspiration of the communities and emergency services.Two willow figures are on the right.One in the water and one on the bridge trying to rescue them. It is my hometown and I blogged from there last year after the floods. A lot of thought goes into the reasons behind a flower bed display so they have stories behind them.


From Scotlands Barony college and Dumfries and Galloway council came Rabbie Burns ploughman and poet.It will be 250 years next year since the famous poets birth.Rabbits and mice watch him as he lays beside his plough.The struggle between man and nature was one of his themes.My fav poem is still the one about the mouse, whos nest was upturned by Rabbies plough.

Lancaster City council went with the Bring Me Football theme, as Morecombe football club joined the football league for the first time.The most famous son Eric Morecomb does he dance over the clubs colours.

I liked this flower bed from Mansfield District Council called the Albert Sorby Buxton collection. The man was a painter who painted the Mansfield area in the early twentieth century.The gorgeous scenery has been recreated and a picture frame put up to show what he would have painted.

Blackburn and Darwen Borough Council's flower bed was called Wainwrights love affair.He was a fell walker who loved the Lake District so much he authored books about walking routes across it.People today still walk the routes made by Alfred Wainwright.I love the large boot!

Stockport Councils flower bed is part of their town halls centenary. The town hall was opened in 1908.I love the replica of the townhall.

The Vale Royal Borough council display was mysteriously Yellow Submarine.After the George Harrison inspired garden at Chelsea this continues the flower power pyschedelic theme.It is just fun and very colourful..

The last photo of the opening Tatton 2008 post is Conwy county borough council called Conwy's Butterflies.The colours were so bright and it was so beautifully planted that this display won Best Flower Bed display In Show.
I will post about the rest of the show. The Show and Back To Back gardens, the school childrens Quirky Containers competion, the Floral Marquis, and the Art of Tatton Park.
It is a art in itself trying to decide what to blog. I loved this years flower show.I already have the dates for 2009!