On the eve of the Chelsea Flower show HCFA finally gets the remainder (well 80% of the remainder) of the flower garden planted out.

As a display garden at Chelsea the HCFA garden would certainly turn a few heads – but probably not for its horticultural beauty and style. However, HCFA could come up with a few unique categories where it would have been a contender for the Gold medal;

• * Flower garden facing the greatest threat from perennial weeds
• * Flower garden with the most immature specimens
• * Flower garden tended by the most diverse group of individuals (it was prepared by BSkyB volunteers, the Youth Offending Serivces, BTCV and HCFA volunteers and planted out by both young and old)
• *Flower garden most likely to remain in its current situation for longer than a week

Whatever the category we certainly feel more confident calling it a flower garden (German prairiesque) having been guided through the planting process by Andy Eddy from Osterley Park last Saturday.

Thanks to his practical tuition and the help of the workshop attendees HCFA boasts a flower garden with an array of flowers (Peonies, Geraniums, Gysophilla, Veronica, Echinacea, Sedum, Helianthus, Alchemilla, Malva, Centranthus). These should be out in their full glory in a couple of years – provided we keep on top of the weeding – and all for the love of it!