Behind the scenes at RHS Chelsea press day…
First let me begin by saying that it is an immense privilege to be granted a press pass for the Monday of RHS Chelsea show week - one of the hottest tickets in town.
I always try to get there as early as possible and this year I was up at five and on the 6.18 train meaning I walked through the gates around 8am - late for many of the photographers and of course the designer’s teams who have been there since the crack of dawn. Still in time though to get a coveted programme in the press tent.
The first thing I like to do is wander around the show gardens by myself getting a feel for what genuinely appeals to me. This year was my fourth press day and I think I’m quite good at guessing which gardens will appeal to the judges now. On the train on the way home I wrote down my predictions for gold medals and I was largely right.
As well as journalists, RHS judges, and horticulturalists press day is also when large groups of well-heeled visitors wearing straw boaters and designer floral frocks are given tours of the gardens for which they have paid up to £6,000 a ticket. This money is much needed to keep the show afloat, but it can sometimes be tricky to photograph the gardens when there are so many guests on them.
The other main group invited on press day are the c’lebs. I did that classic thing of staring at one man, convinced I knew him and he must be a fellow gardening hack, then realising it was Iwan Carrington from BBC’s Sort Your Life Out (of which I have watched far too many episodes and still not sorted my life out).
The celebrities and the paparazzi are both here to do their jobs which is to be seen and to see. It makes for a jolly, carnival atmosphere which is all part of the show and if it helps bring attention to good causes so much the better. Still, sometimes by kicking out time for press before the King arrives I can sometimes feel as though I’ve just been to a rather exhausting high octane circus.
Many of the show gardens this year and for the past few years have been sponsored by the charitable foundation Project Giving Back. Next year is their last year and so there is a big question mark hanging over where future funding. But show gardens found funding before PGB and they will after it has gone.
This combined with the question marks that hang over the future of the BBC mean that RHS Chelsea will no doubt change in the future, but change is what keeps things vital, so this is as much of an opportunity as anything.
Hopefully I will be granted a press pass again next year (they are like gold dust) when I will be ready to do it all again. But for now I’m looking forward to putting my feet up and watching the coverage on television tonight!
