Show gardens don’t come cheap – but where does the money come from? Introducing Hattie Ghaui, CEO of Project Giving Back – the charitable organisation funding 15 of this year’s Chelsea gardens
In the indefinite past (as in, I couldn’t categorically tell you how far back we’re talking), a lot of plants would end up in a skip. What happened to them after that, I do not know. More recently, loads and loads of plants have been herded up, taken to a holding ground, and then donated to community gardening groups/schools/etc shortly after the end of the show. A lot of the plants in our local park were once Chelsea show garden plants!
These days, many of the trees and larger shrubs are actually either hires or loans, and go back to the nursery that supplied them. And in the past couple of years, many perennial plants of all sizes will end up being relocated along with more structural elements/materials to the gardens in their new permanent homes. I can’t really speak to the fate of the plants in the past, but I gather it was Not Great. These days, it seems pretty decent.
Glad to hear they’re committed to sustainable practice. How it was done before is just what we can learn from. It matters where we move. This looks like the right direction.
This was such an interesting read! I’m really fascinated by PGB (particularly the mystery donors- who are they???) and it’s so useful to see how the process works. Thanks so much for writing this one Dan!
Can the flowers be submitted for industrial composting? Have they just been thrown in the trash?
In the indefinite past (as in, I couldn’t categorically tell you how far back we’re talking), a lot of plants would end up in a skip. What happened to them after that, I do not know. More recently, loads and loads of plants have been herded up, taken to a holding ground, and then donated to community gardening groups/schools/etc shortly after the end of the show. A lot of the plants in our local park were once Chelsea show garden plants!
These days, many of the trees and larger shrubs are actually either hires or loans, and go back to the nursery that supplied them. And in the past couple of years, many perennial plants of all sizes will end up being relocated along with more structural elements/materials to the gardens in their new permanent homes. I can’t really speak to the fate of the plants in the past, but I gather it was Not Great. These days, it seems pretty decent.
Glad to hear they’re committed to sustainable practice. How it was done before is just what we can learn from. It matters where we move. This looks like the right direction.
This was such an interesting read! I’m really fascinated by PGB (particularly the mystery donors- who are they???) and it’s so useful to see how the process works. Thanks so much for writing this one Dan!
A lot of people are suggesting the mystery donors are… you! How have you been spending all those millions of yours??
😂ME??? Well I guess the secret is out 😂