Flower shows

Today is the opening day of the Royal Horticultural societys Chelsea flower show.The 83rd in a row held in the Royal Chelsea hospital grounds.Alas im back to work now for ten straight days.Things will grow as im working. I want to go one day to Chelsea for exhibitors of new plants, tree's , flowers, shrubs etc. Garden designers from around the world compete with unique garden displays in set sized plots.
I have just read on the last day people can buy the display flowers etc from the exhibitors. It says plan your route to your fav plants. To take home a piece of gardening history. I will show some pics I found of the show gardens. All the tickets have sold out already so i will watch TV coverage, and read about in in BBC Gardeners world magasine.
There are other agricultural shows but this is the Big one, people want to display their gardens there, and exhibit new specimins for RHS gold medals.Then in adverts it says RHS gold/silver medal winner, best in show etc.
The website is here: http://www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea/history.asp
I should note that the first two days the Chelsea flower show is open to RHS members.I do want to join them when i have money.their home page is: http://www.rhs.org.uk/
The last three days are open to everybody.Its very British to have members first, and the public after.I dont know if its quieter the first two days.
The other website I found today was via garden voices http://voices.gardenweb.com/
My own sempervivum with blue marbles was at the top.Strange seeing your own handiwork displayed.
I clicked on a link about Peonies: http://gardening.about.com/b/a/256733.htm
Reading down I found pictures from Monet's french house.At the hospital I work at the corridors have art prints along them including Monet's waterlillies, and flower pics.
As i looked at the pictures I could see the prints in the hospital, his muse was a beautiful garden with large pond, japenese bridge, water lillies, big floral gardens.As im inspired to take photos and write he was compelled to paint.
The changing light, seasons, and even his failing eyesight means he never get bored of painting the garden.
http://painting.about.com//od/artistreferencephotos/ig/Monet-Giverny/index.htm
I will display a few swiped pictures but the link to them is above.
Natures own gift to us is the beauty of the seasons, the uniqueness of flowers and foliage, the changing forms of tree's and shrubs. The sights and smells of the growing garden. How we display them is what i meant by flower shows...
Photos, words, blogs, people visiting, exhibitions, magasines and papers, people walking past your garden and looking in.
A few more pics to follow. Hope you award yourselves a gold medal for pleasure obtained, beauty seen, and dreams fufilled by your own garden. I love May spring days with the birds singing, the wind blowing, and the clouds moving without raining on me.