This year RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2015 is reaching for the stars with an intergalactic theme; it could almost have been chosen with us in mind! What could be better than an interplanetary setting to show off our armillary spheres and sundials?
Amillaries are working models of objects in the celestial sphere consisting of a spherical framework of rings, centred on Earth. The rings represent lines of longitude and latitude and other astronomically important features such as the ecliptic, tropic lines and the equinoctial colures (in other words, all the bits and pieces you need to recreate the planet’s movement). The armillary shows how the earth, and sometimes the heavens, moves. An armillary can be made for any planet, not just our own!
Our stand at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2015 intends to reflect the spirit of space travel in the planting list. We have planned:
- Euphorbia Myrsinites (myrtle spurge) Yellow flowers which look like (what we imagine to be) rocket fuel
- Euphorbia Mellifera (Canary spurge) A burst of flowers reminiscent of a supernova
- Convolvulus Cneorum (Silverbush) and Hebe Recurva (Boughton Silver) display stark rocket-metal coloured foliage
- Meconopsis Cambrica (Welsh poppy) Yellow and Welsh, do I need to say more!
- Thymus Vulgaris (common thyme) Ground cover with a stark and seductive smell
- Thymus Citriodorus (Lemon thyme) Again ground cover with an almost mechanical smell
- Erigeron Karvinskianus (Mexican fleabane) Looks like a little firmament.
- Phormium Tenax (New Zealand flax) Has a spiky structure, reaching upwards to the heavens
- Betula Utilis (West Himalayan birch) Lovely, straight, silver trunk and neat body, showing off a symmetrical shapeliness
- Eruca sativa (Rocket) …..err, rocket (and spicy enough to send you into orbit).
Yet again the charity ‘Growing Space’ is helping us to create a sensory and olfactory interpretation of outer-space with colours and shapes to mirror this. We even thought hard about what smells might work best in this intergalactic garden and decided on thyme with its clean yet pervasive savoury scent.
Many thanks go to Peter Dowle, of Howle Hill Nursery, who has donated a stunning tree, Betual Utilis, to the stand. Peter is also busy building an exhibition garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for perfumer L’Occitane called ‘A perfumer’s garden in Grasse’. We can’t wait to see him there.
The very word ‘sundial’ reminds one that there are things of import going on in the heavens. Indeed, since ancient times, we have worshipped the sun and the moon for their life giving and world changing attributes. We will, of course, be taking our range of beautiful dials to the show to help the public appreciate the ancient art of horology. In brass, Bronze or stainless steel, they also look fabulous as well as being useful: every garden should have a sundial!
Come and find us on stand RGB9. (Rockery and Garden Bank – Just round the corner from the Bullring entrance and right next door to the stunning Laurent-Perrier Chatsworth Garden https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-chelsea-flower-show/exhibitors/2015/gardens/the-chatsworth-garden )
PS Have a look at this link to the sundial NASA has sent to outer space! http://mars.nasa.gov/mer/mission/spacecraft_instru_calibr.html
