Cardiff RHS Flower Show 2019

Appealing green bears on the Easigrass (artificial grass) stand at the Cardiff RHS Show

We usually go to the Cardiff RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Show but this year I had to go alone as the husband can’t walk very far at the moment. I went on the morning of Sunday, April 14, and the weather was bright but slightly cold – perfect for wandering around and taking a few pictures…

Part of the Nature’s Takeover show garden designed by Diego Carrillo and built by Smartscape Cardiff

Part of the Xardin Urban Gallery show garden designed by Brent Purtell and built by Xardin

This was an intriguing one – A Reading Room for A Rebel Girl, designed by Anthea Guthrie and sponsored by Botanica World Discoveries

Inside the skull-shaped hut I could see old Judy and Diana annuals but outside on the grass were books about the new (female) Doctor Who, Minnie the Minx and a Welsh-language guide to bird-watching.

Also outside was this friendly dog

Inside the floral marquees there were the usual nursery trade stands – this is a display of Agapanthus from Hoyland Plant Centre in South Yorkshire

Wack’s Wicked Plants of North Yorkshire had a display of carnivorous plants including this North American pitcher plant, Saracenia x Judith

Tulips from Pheasant Acre Plants of Bridgend, South Wales…

…this tulip Flyaway was particularly vivid

I was attracted by this pretty Bunny’s Tail Grass (Lagurus ovatus) on one of the outside trade stands

This Echium webbi enjoyed the sunshine…

…and attracted bees…

…of all sorts

Harts Nursery from Cheshire had a magnificent display of lilies, with a heady perfume even in the open air…

…this is Lilium oriental Je T’aime – apparently popular for weddings

There was a traditional Ferris wheel

An assortment of brownies from the Chock Shop

Although I resisted the sweet temptations, I did buy some meat pies from the Rose Cottage Pantry, based in East Yorkshire. I also bought a leather coin purse, some Moroccan mint for the garden and a selection of scented-leaf Pelargoniums from Potash Nursery in Suffolk.

I think my favourite of the craft stalls was that of Katherine Jones, a Cardiff-based artist and curator of found and collected objects. Her website here also showcases her pen and ink drawings of local landscapes and she accepts commissions.

A Colour Box of curated objects from Katherine Jones

This one is called The Welsh industrial Revolution Box

I must admit I would love to have the talent to put together my own curated boxes as I have so many small found objects collected over the years!

Art from Susan Entwistle, pointillist painter of gardens and landscapes

See more of Susan Entwistle’s lovely work on her website here.

Part of the Wellbeing Garden from the National Botanic Garden of Wales and Growing the Future

See a video about the garden here.

Ferns and a wall of logs in the Wellbeing Garden…

…and bright forget-me-nots and Tiarella as part of the planting scheme

The Into the Nest feature from the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales

A memory tree

A message from the organisers…

…with sunflowers

House names and numbers from HouseSign.co.uk…

…and signs of a more personal nature

Sculptures and garden ornaments from Allen Silk…

…I rather liked this regal but stern face

Bottle openers on the Light Innovation stand

Stainless steel and copper art from John Moss of Herefordshire…

…including this colourful kingfisher

Visit John Moss’s website here.

There was also metal sculpture in the second floral marquee – this was on Letham Plants’ Astrantia stand

Streptocarpus ‘Polka Dot Purple’ on the Dibleys Nurseries stand…

…and Begonia ‘Star Bright’ in the same display

Dianthus plumarius ‘Pinball Wizard’ from Calamazag Plant Nursery

Paeonia ‘Coral Charm’ from Primrose Hall Peonies of Bedfordshire

A gold-medal-winning display from Palms-Exotics of Hampshire…

…including this magnificent Agave americana mediopica alba, from Mexico

Anemone x lipsiensis ‘Pallida’ from Ice Alpines of Worcestershire…

…and another pretty alpine plant, Androsace studiosorum ‘Chumbyi’

And finally…

A display of heritage beans from Pennard Plants of Somerset