Grab a pensioner!

I’ve been going to Chelsea for about 14 years now, I truly love #London & revel in my trip every year. I never knew that my first visit would inspire me so much that it would lead me into the world of horticulture. I loved my childhood gardening with my grandfather, those #ChelseaPensioners remind me of him. When I get a chance I grab a picture and have a chat, I highly recommend you do so on your next visit.

James Wong back then

It is hard to explain ChelseaLife but I will try my best to do so, firstly I openly ask you to become an RHS Member. Last year they surpassed 500,000 members which is simply amazing. For such a small yearly fee the benefits are outstanding, one of which is members-only days at RHS Shows & early ticket purchase. Press day Monday opens the event & the Royal family visit so it is closed on this day. #ChelseaTuesday as I call it is the first official open day to the public, it is members day and when medals are awarded. Though busy, it’s outstanding as things are new & fresh. The quicker you can attend the show the better as the show quality is at its best. Also, Designers & garden celebrities are out and about so keep a lookout.

Have a SHOW & PIMS plan! 

It’s not essential of course, a general direction to start is good to have as it can be busy by the main garden entrance. As a quick #Tip, the bulk of the crowd roar off to the main avenue to see the show gardens. You have plenty of time to see them through the day, I relax & head off to the Artisan Gardens first.  Left, right, left & round is my motto, immediately after you leave the crowds you relax, I’m there the full 12 hours so having a no rush agenda is best. I love to soak up the British atmosphere and meet people, I make it a point to Network. I meet up with #gardening friends, talk to my suppliers & hopefully make a few more. Try some culinary delights & sample some summer alcoholic English traditions #PIMS. The sun never seems to disappoint, nothing better than feeling dapper with a glass of bubbles, tell me what’s better?.

The variety at the show is never dull & well-orchestrated, gems seem to be scattered & waiting to be discovered all over the show. I admit, I am so entranced that I hardly eat at all, all day. I favor getting lost in the show then wasting time queuing for food, my choice of course but it is my one & only day to indulge in everything #Horti. To go back a step if I may, If you have a general question about THE RHS or the show please ask the information desk. It is located on your immediate left after entering by the main gate by lost property, I find them extremely knowledgable & willing to help. #TIP You can charge your mobile phone here but bring your own charger, they are fine to watch over it but not obligated to do so so it’s your responsibly if it goes missing but this was fabulous of them I thought.

160,000 people visit The Chelsea Flower Show every year!

Get lost & discover!!

I truly love the randomness of every show, you think you have seen it all then Wham! a green bear or shiny graffitied apple. It borders eccentric but rather intoxicating after a brief spell, it just works. A celebration of pushing the horticultural boundaries, the industry pulls in, in my opinion, the best of all trades & crafts. Outstanding purchases to also be made, order a bespoke forged gate or hand-carved nameplate made from green oak is just a few off the top of my head. This is why I need a full 12 hours there, though a small show, Chelsea has an extraordinary layout with hidden areas. There are also many more small & large businesses then you think surrounding the Great Pavilion, you can get caught up in walking the main avenues and miss the second row of shops by Chilstone & Pavilion way.

The Gardens

The Highlight of one’s day, extraordinary feats of engineering, we revel in the beauty of the planting and message in portrays. The atmosphere is electric at the gardens, it is truly a spectacle to behold & urge you to visit one day.

On a given day the crowds can be 39,000 people, it amazes me still the number of people trying to get a glimpse of the gardens. Usually, 3 people deep at the main show gardens, being tall or having long arms to take a picture from above is my only solution to this flowery mayhem. Gone are the days of strolling such events, it feels a bit overwhelming and frustrating especially if your trip has built up to this moment to grab a glimpse at something of interest to you. Patience & kindness will win in the end but can you wait? My observations thus are, people are more interested in seeing the grouping of flowers up close. Of course the gardens, as one entity, are the main event but people talk most about the chosen flowers when they finally get to the front. I’ve thought about this for a while now, do we go to dream or to escape. Can we possibly manage such a garden ourselves, the choice of materials used are luxuriously priced so what are we looking for? We go to not just inspire our physical surroundings but our minds, are we becoming more aware as a society of our #MentalHealth & Wellbeing?.

“Gardening will become more important to us, growing our own medicine is the way forward” 

Friendly faces

Adam White

Jo Thompson

It wouldn’t be #Chelsea without meeting the Designers, a great way to follow more closely their work is to follow them on #Twitter. The RHS will be outstanding at keeping us up to date on the gardens as they develop.  A one to one with the designers themselves though, will give a greater look at the work that goes into the project as it happens, to give you a better overview. I make a point of meeting a few, it is wonderful to grab a moment with them & try and extract their energy & drive. I am very fortunate to have made a few great friends, they have been marvelous support & always on hand to give you a morale boost even if they are abroad in Russia! Long story but I’ve been lucky to have connected with a few truly remarkable human beings, good to be bold sometimes. Social media thus far has been a unique tool & very kind, I believe, if used wisely, it can & will improve our #gardening. Thanks #AdamWhite & #JoThompson

The Hall of Fame 

Thanks to #MontyDon #CarolKlein #TobyBuckland #MarkLane #SimonLycett #SueBiggs #AdamFrost #JoSwift #NickBailey #FrancesTophill #JamesWong #MatthewPottage

We say Goodbye but never forgotten! We hope to still see you at the shows Zoe.

Zoe Fontannaz of Garden Brocante

A #Horti haze of wonders

Mr Nuts about Gardening himself

Chito (The Hat Man )

The shows boast the best in horti purchases, its a lavish gardening shopping paradise with beautiful products to tempt your pockets. A sea of friendly faces as you walk down Eastern Avenue, you must take home at least one memory of Chelsea so take a really long look.

Neil Urry of VegePod

Cacoon

I love meeting up with friends & making new ones, keep those eyes peeled as it can be a bit crowded. I’m like a homing beacon of unique characters & Chelsea never disappoints. I do love meeting people and looking for new products to bring back to Norway, it is such a wonderful day networking & making others smile at my fabulous attire. Chelsea is all about the show & I bring it every year, one loves a #London gent. I try to relax but with so many amazing products to try & see I am rather exhausted but I find ways!

Thanks to M&G Garden for sponsoring the event & getting in touch, look forward to seeing you next year!

#hagebrukspesialisten #theenglishgardener #goprogardener

Kelly & Peter of Gold Leaf Gloves at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2018

Practically perfect in every way and Mary Poppins was quite right, if you haven’t had the pleasure of your gardening hands being pampered by the finest gloves in horticulture, then I recommend popping down to a gardening show soon to see Gold Leaf Gloves.

It is hard not to be impressed by the quality & fit, I have been a huge fan before I had the pleasure of working as a team to promote them on the west coast of Norway as an approved reseller. Most of you have experienced the cheap gardening glove option for years, I present a thought to you. If you could wear something that not only looks & feels amazing but at that very moment enhances your desire to do more gardening then why god why are we still wasting time & money on cheap gloves.

Let’s take a look at what’s on offer, gloves are a must-buy for most amateurs & professional gardeners. Gardeners can suffer Snags, punctures, infections or even more serious issues like Sepsis. Hand Protection is top priority, think of clearing out an overgrown garden full of brambles, roses & debris with no gloves or even that cheap gloves. With a huge increase in cutting blades & tools on the market, it only goes to say that you need something in between your skin & your choice of cutting tool.

• DRY TOUCH ( Ladies & Gents )

Great for wet regions, after a shower, gardening continues whether it be clearing borders or removing a pile of garden waste. I hate working with wet hands but these have superior water resistance, plus you don’t lose the feel of the task at hand with the super-thin layer.

• SOFT TOUCH ( Ladies & Gents )

My personal favorite of the four, my most of the season glove. It rains a lot here in Norway, don’t get them too wet as the colour can run, so i just switch out to DRY TOUCH. A fabulous general glove for all sorts of #gardening tasks.  Snug fit means you are in control of jobs, they can handle roses but remember that your backhand isn’t that protected from those thorns. We have another TOUGH glove that loves roses 🙂

• TOUGH TOUCH ( Ladies & Gents)

Now you are in safe hands with TOUGH TOUCH, no whisper of a doubt handling sharp, thorny plants. You can climb a ladder made of roses with these, lightweight and also they do wonders in summer conifer pruning tasks. Those branches that irritate & scratch your forearm will no longer be a concern.

• WINTER TOUCH ( Ladies & Gents )

An exceptional glove & a hard worker for me in Norway, cold weather tested & approved here. A joy on the hand & follows me everywhere. The perfect companion when pruning trees in winter.

Its been a pleasure sharing my experience with The Finest Gold Leaves in Scandinavia

#hagebrukspesialisten #theenglishgardener #goprogardener

Photos by Geir Bjørndal Srisoi

My love of #Stihl products is hard to hide, as you already know from my social media posts I’m a little obsessed but only because they have enhanced my business & they are doing exactly what they say on the box. The noise reduction from battery tools is astonishing!!!

So, what I was thinking is that I could give you an honest review from my own experience using them each day in a professional environment. With me so far? I thought of letting you know what I am using & talk a little about transporting, use & tips, etc. Maybe you are also venturing in the same kind of direction & are considering a horticultural career.

Quick #Tip !!! Download the iPhone Stihl App from iTunes 

This App is packed full of useful information & after a while you will be looking for extras/accessories to add to your growing family.

MY GEAR: small to LARGE

• Stihl App (Above)
• AMK 048 Mulching kit
• AP200 Battery
• AP300 Battery
• 2 x AL500 Hi-speed charger
• HSA 25 Cordless shrub/grass shears
• Battery belt with connector
• BGA 85 Cordless blower
• HSA 86 Hedge trimmer
• FSA 85 Grass trimmer
• HLA 65 Long-reach hedge trimmer
• RMA 448 TC Lawnmower

Wow, now that I have made a list it does look rather a lot but I assure you that you get your moneys worth & you half gardening tasks “promise”.

HSA 25

The Cordless shears (Top) have been truly great so far, easy to store & carry, perfect on those hard to reach spots behind objects. Intricate detailing of shrubs is a doddle, and to add quite powerful with good battery life. Interchangeable ends are easy to fit, I do like it & often on discount in sales in registered Stihl reseller stores as most smaller items are, over bigger.

BGA 85

With my choice of tools, it was simple, as a small business, I needed something to just do the job firstly. You can always get the best & the most powerful but it isn’t always needed. The jobs in hand are reasonable tasks, so I started to collect the first in the range of the cordless Pro Series which brings me to my Blower! When you start doing grass trimming jobs you soon realize quickly that a blower is needed for that finishing touch. It’s wonderful to neaten up the garden before you leave and as the seasons turn its just a quick walkabout to clear up after a strong breeze, things that have blown in from surrounding areas. Fits perfect in the boot between mower & tools. You would be surprised at how often you can use it, the top three tools for me. Runs a little while on the AP200 but better with the AP300, even though you have about 20 minutes run time, jobs are quick. A quick blast here & there, job done & charge.

HSA 86

The hedge killer is very good at its job, rather shocked at the thickness of stems it can chomp through. Needs to sit at an angle in the boot on top of the other tools but all goes well in an estate car. It can run for hours on the AP200 battery & can honestly keep on cutting after a 50-metre long hedge top & sides. When tackling long hedges it pays to purchase the Battery belt as it dramatically reduces the weight on your arms holding it for long periods at a time. Battery belt is super comfortable & can hold multiple batteries which still makes it more cost-effective than buying the big AP3000 backpack. As I said only get what does the job. The HSA 86 is the muscle in your arsenal when you are clearing out overgrown borders, clearing a path, something to just hack through. Perfect for maintaining lower long hedges.

FSA 85

My little gem of a machine & I cannot live without this tool, I feel it does the best job of the lot. You can cut a lawn all you want but those little edge, side bits you miss with the mower “irritating”. What an extremely amazing edger to finish as well, you are always left happier after using this. It lasts forever running on the AP200, do purchase extra cord as you go through a lot (2.4mm cord, 43m). Wear the Battery belt again on longer tasks, top 2 on my list of must-haves for pro & amateur gardeners. Works also as an edger for those lawn drop-offs, with a little practice you don’t need edging shears.

HLA 65

My long-reach hedge trimmer is a head-turner, for those long tall & formal hedges. It could possibly be enough for those who dislike using ladders. Some tasks need a ladder or steps but I manage ok without “so far”, the long-reach gives you a better judgment of cuts. A better line of sight for detailing, one of those tools you don’t really want to put down after the job is finished. Fits ok again in the car, I’ve added a new addition which I haven’t yet spoken about “my ski box”. Allows better storage for longer tools & I can say it is working a treat. With the shoulder strap, it helps on long projects, if you combine it with the Battery Belt you can take off the strap & actually hold the end to get a longer reach for those little irritating bits, it’s very well balanced & very powerful, lasts a long time.

RMA 448 TC

Last but not lea.. my star performer. I love this machine, fits remarkably in my car boot. If you take out one headrest & raise the mower to the 6 height setting it just slides right in perfect, I feel like it was made just for me. It’s large but surprising compact when you drop the arm forward, do bend those knees as its a little heavy. Eco mode is great, reduces power outgo when needed to maximize cutting time. I’ve switched out the cutting blade & have installed the AMK 048 Mulching kit, its not that enjoyable emptying the clippings & driving them away every week. With weekly short visits, I can quickly manage the area with ease & not exert too much strain on the motor & battery. Ive found with fortnightly visits the grass can be a little too long & drain the battery a lot faster. Not a problem as I can charge battery on-site & get back to it after. If the grass is damp it struggles again but Ive the option of charging on property. The best result is to buy a further AP300 battery to complete the task. The only other consideration is heat, if you are interested in the range but live in a climate range of 25c & up you may need to do jobs early morning or late evenings as that heat drains battery & may take longer in the chargers to cool down first before recharge. The battery will indicate this but other then that its the King.

I really hope you have enjoyed this little piece of Stihl love, further people to watch on @twitter is

Just a few people enjoying some days with #Stihl

Thanks for joining me today

#hagebrukspesialisten #theenglishgardener #goprogardener

Photos by Geir Bjørndal Srisoi

Hi & welcome, I feel very privileged to be the first SeedBall stockist in Norway and I am looking forward to showing you the world of SeedBall.

Click on the SeedBall logo below for the Radio interview!!!!

Let’s just get stuck in & take a look at the wonderful products on offer, talk a little bit about each one from the time I have spent working with them. This is rather an exciting step in my business plan, introducing new garden related products, new brands & an online store. I’m proud to be an official stockist on the SeedBall website & I am planning on bringing SeedBall to shows & markets in Ålesund soon. 

Tins:

The flagship product & still the nicest looking item in the range. First off I love that SeedBall is supporting one of the last tin companies in the #UK, it brings old school manufacturing to the modern market with a fabulous focus on conservation. Supporting others as well is awesome so thumbs up there, also you can use the tin after for all sorts. Secondly, I really enjoy the rattle sound of the Seedballs inside, there are 18 tins in the range but the range is growing rapidly. All tins are unique, some collaboration series or one-offs, they hold different species of wildflower mixes & amounts of seed within the ball shape due to the seed size, etc. 

MatchBoxes: 

These are stunning, simple & a party stopper because of their intriguing look. Each matchbox holds 6 Seedballs, the box can be bespoke designed to match the formal/informal occasion by yourself or by SeedBall which is so cool. Designed for weddings & parties as favors but can be used for all sorts, there is a minimum order required & an extra fee for a personal design if you are unable to present one. Each BEE MIX ball contains 50 seeds from 5 different species.

Bulk Bags: 300g & 500g

If a large area is in need of a little magic then try these out, the bigger the area the better to feed those insects. wild meadows are more important than ever at the moment, we need to do all we can to help our tiny buddies. You can also choose the mix you would like to go into the bags so ask them. 

FREE OddBalls for Schools & Community projects:

How perfect is this, all the misshapen SeedBalls that don’t qualify do not get wasted, they get put into bulk bags & on request can be sent for free to help community projects around the country or even sent abroad. You only need to cover the postage cost which is nothing when you get 300g of free SeedBalls. 

Gift boxes:

Beautiful & elegant, 3 tins of your choice in a lovely presentation box. When you buy one you will only get a few more anyway so get a gift set instead.

Gardening centres:

Another exciting addition to the family, only for gardening centers to stand out & maximize product information for retail. 

Christmas gift set:

Perfect table gift or even under the tree, just throw in the snow & let nature take control in the spring.

NEW Herb grow kits for 2019:

I told you that the range is growing fast, check out this collaboration. Are you into Herb growing? then give this a try.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing the range from SeedBall, let’s get growing for insects today!