Where I live in London is very near the Chelsea Flower – an annual event where the (actually pretty small) gardens of Chelsea Hospital are taken over by the most amazing floral displays and gardens. And expensive shops and cafes, of course!
For the week of the show, the whole area turns into complete chaos… taxis, chauffeurs, coaches and PEOPLE everywhere.
There’s NO point in trying to get anywhere by car or taxi… the roads are completely grid-locked. And come five o’clock the pavements are full of tired folks weighed down by heavy bags of gardening-related purchases, all trying to secure the elusive taxis back to their hotels or houses.
British royalty usually make an appearance and socialites and wannabes – drunk on too much warm champagne – spill out onto the roads, often narrowly avoiding getting run over… and restaurants for miles around are packed with queues out the door, full of people tired and angry they have no choice but to wait an hour for a table!
The gardens are lovely – but for the locals Chelsea Flower Show week is a nightmare!
Enjoy these photos from the comfort of your own home – and skip the queues, sun-stroke and over-priced snacks!
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Extraordinary photos James, really enjoyed reading your blog too! Some of my family are off to London next year I’ll have to let them know about this.
Thank You!