With Press Day at Chelsea on Monday, this is the moment for some frenzied exploration of all the gardens and plants I want to check up on during the all-too-brief time allowed (and yes, 7.30 am to 3.30 pm just isn't enough - assuming you want to leave upright and not on a stretcher).
First up the new Edelweiss Leontopodium alpinum ‘Berghman’ Blossom of Snow, developed by Harperley Hall Farm Nurseries and marketed by Suttons - sure to have you unconsciously humming the Sound of Music tear-jerker once you've clocked the name.
As so often, this Edelweiss was born out of frustration, bred by a florist who was frequently asked for Edelweiss with stems long enough for a vase and large flower heads. Available to florists previously, now gardeners have access, with its promise to grow in larger clumps, have long, straight stems, flower for longer and produce masses of bigger flowers.
Hillier Nurseries will be launching a rather stunning new crab apple, the development of which you can read about in Roger Brook's More about Malus x purpurea 'Crimson Cascade'. Weeping, smothered in blossom, dark red fruit, bronzed foliage and only reaching around 15 feet, it's a tree that Roger predicts will be everywhere in a short time. I think he might be right. I wonder what sort of apple jelly it makes?
Hillier are seeking their 72nd consecutive gold medal this year with a stand designed by Sarah Eberle who has learned from Chelsea judges to keep a sharp eye for detail. “I have been known to lose Best in Show for a few screws out of line,” she says. The focus of the garden a one-tonne metallic spring, made by Fordingbridge. Twelve metres long and 4 metres high, it feeds 3,000 litres of water into a pond weighing 350kg. Bet it was fun moving that into position.
Also on their stand will be a 'memory tree' in support of Wessex Cancer Trust, where, if you like that sort of thing, you can write a garden-related memory in a book and sign a copper tag to be hung in the tree (they've got 2,500 tags waiting for inscription).
The tree is a Davidia involucrata, which is a cunning touch. After all, you tie a knot in a hankie to remind you not to forget, and this is the Pocket Handkerchief tree, timed to be draped with white 'hankies'.
Another Gold winner of somewhat younger vintage is Morrice and Ann Innes' stand. They're travelling down from Newmachar, north of Aberdeen, to try for their third Gold in a row. Sponsored by Thompson & Morgan, they offer an homage to the tuber, featuring around 150 varieties, including the new Vizelle to be launched in September (I'll zip along to find out what it's got to offer), as well as selection of Wild Solanum potato plants. Ann says there will also be some ‘weird and wonderful’ tubers of Solanum Tuberosum, cultivated from wild species of the group Stenotomum.
Out in the gardens, I'm particularly looking forward to Chris Beardshaw's creation as - and one can only think that designing a Chelsea Garden isn't hard enough - he's been growing the plants himself. They're looking rather gorgeous.
As usual @chrisbeardshaw planting is amazingly beautiful for The Morgan&Stanley Garden #RHSChelsea #Breathtaking #lovechelseabuild pic.twitter.com/eGyUgFOUUD
— hayleymonckton (@hayleymonckton) May 18, 2017
So, along with the pale blue Nepeta on Hardy's stand and the extremely neat fastigiated birch on the Horticultural Trades Association stand, I can see this is going to be another whistle-stop tour around Chelsea.
Am I the only one who's really pleased there are only 8 Show Gardens to take in this year?
...Landscape Juice Network
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