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Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 1.Ìý
Posted by Paul N (U6451125) on Tuesday, 3rd November 2009
Tonight Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú2 at 8pm, James May's Toy Stories about his entry in this year's Chelsea Flower Show. No proper gardening, I know, but last week's Spitfire construction kit story was good.
Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 2
Posted by David K (U2221642) on Wednesday, 4th November 2009
No proper gardening, I know, but last week's Spitfire construction kit story was good.Ìý
I agree, although the Spitfire had about as much to do with gardening as this 'garden'.Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 3
Posted by Pete-Free (U7363826) on Wednesday, 4th November 2009
Ah happy days when we had the week of wall-to-wall Chelsea coverage. I didn't like James Mays garden at the time but enjoyed watching its development and the finished product much more last night. Chris looked and sounded very dismissive though.
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Message 4
Posted by toonia (U4760062) on Wednesday, 4th November 2009
I was dubious when I first heard about JM's project for the garden. I thought he was mocking the RHS and the whole Chelsea institution. Not necessarily a bad thing to do!
I changed my mind when I saw the garden. It had the most people around it, everyone was smiling and it was the only show garden where total strangers were talking to each other and pointing things out. There was a lot of humour in it,plasticine bees and ladybirds and the mole in the lawn.
It was a touch of fantasy and fun and the RHS joined in the spirit of it by giving James his plasticine gold. I think the other people showing would have been very narked if he'd got a real medal.
So it was interesting to rewind and see how the garden came to be and the people who contributed.
Weren't those school children proud? And the lady at the Ideal Home exhibition who said it would be the only way she'd ever get to exhibit at Chelsea.
There is a whole debate to be had as to whether it should have been there at all but I enjoyed seeing how much pleasure it gave to everyone involved in its creation as well as to the visitors at Chelsea.Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 5
Posted by David K (U2221642) on Wednesday, 4th November 2009
....all of that, but nothing remotely to do with gardening....it was Chelsea after all.
Let’s face, it some will always respond in a happy clappie way in the presence of a celeb.
This doesn’t mean I’m against his community projects.Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 6
Posted by toonia (U4760062) on Wednesday, 4th November 2009
Let’s face, it some will always respond in a happy clappie way in the presence of a celeb.
Ìý
Would you like to elaborate on this statement, David?
I'd like to know how you extrapolate "happy clappie" from what I've written, if in fact that is what you are referring to.Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 7
Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Wednesday, 4th November 2009
There were no 'celebrities' anywhere near the garden when I saw it. So the dense crowds laughing, chatting and enjoying it that I saw clearly weren't star struck.
Of course it's not gardening. But it was a celebration of gardens and of the beautiful detail of flowers and insects which had clearly been carefully observed and incorporated by the participants. I approached it with an open mind and found myself smiling, pointing and chatting just like everyone else around me.
Somehow it connected people because anyone could engage with it - you couldn't possibly ask a stupid question, or make a horticultural faux-pas. I thought it was great fun - and it's not as if anyone else was vying for the space this year!Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 8
Posted by David K (U2221642) on Wednesday, 4th November 2009
I'm sure James May would be devastated not to be considered a 'celebrity'!
Was it just me who noticed him manipulating the onlookers into his way of thinking about his exhibit?
It always intrigues me how people gather in masses, grinning like Cheshire cats, hanging on to every word and applauding any familiar face they've seen on the box.Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 9
Posted by toonia (U4760062) on Wednesday, 4th November 2009
You're deliberately misunderstanding DK, as you weren't there!
Like Trillium, I didn't see James May anywhere near so how he can be accused of manipulating our reactions I don't know! The only celeb who could possibly make me go gaga is CB and he clearly didn't like this garden - but I did.
I try to avoid taking pics of the crowds at Chelsea but they couldn't be avoided. Have a look at this and tell me if you see any happy clappie Cheshire cats -or just people smiling and having a good time.
Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 10
Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Wednesday, 4th November 2009
Ditto...
Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 11
Posted by David K (U2221642) on Wednesday, 4th November 2009
You're deliberately misunderstanding DK, as you weren't there!Ìý
Of course you're making an assumption there. Anyway, isn't this thread discussing last night’s TV programme James May's Toys?
My last word!Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 12
Posted by Ariadne Knickerbocker (U4534559) on Wednesday, 4th November 2009
I was prepared to dislike the plasticine garden as another 'gimmick' to draw in the punters at Chelsea.
When I visited the garden at the show I found it amusing, imaginative and fun with a hint of nostalgia for the plasticine I played with in my youth. Judging by the big grins on people's faces I guess they did too. Not a celeb to be seen around it either.
I also enjoyed James May's programme on it which I thought was very heart warming in particular the fact that so many people had contributed to it.Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 13
Posted by koala_girl (U12702629) on Wednesday, 4th November 2009
I loved it, even though it inspired me with a worrying urge to go out and buy some plasticine. James May's enthusiasm was infectious and he got lots of ordinary people involved in the creation of his garden. It was a really heart warming program.
Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 14
Posted by Her outdoors (U1450108) on Thursday, 5th November 2009
Hi Toonia,
Unfortunately I didn't see all the programme but it was quite fun and far more entertaining that most of the stuff on TV.
Whilst some may mock the principle of plasticine flowers, everyone making a flower had to think of a real one, and I bet those children will learn from the experience and grow up loving flowers.
So perhaps not such a daft idea after all, eh!Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 15
Posted by nooj (U13729031) on Thursday, 5th November 2009
Koala girl - just give in to your worrying urge...it wasn't illegal last time I checked.
and make sure you post photos of the result.
I enjoyed the prog by the way - lots of folk seem to get too far up their own fundaments thinking about gardeningLink to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 16
Posted by groundelder (U11750698) on Thursday, 5th November 2009
Really enjoyed the programme, but have to admit I'm a great fan of James May. He's enthusiastic, child-like, has a dry sense of humour and is not LOUD and brash.
I'm sure there were stalwarts of the RHS who hated it with a vengeance, but hey, there's got to be more to gardening than making sure every leaf, petal, colour is "appropriate".
There is so much snobbery in gardening circles - it should be about enjoyment.
Well done that man!Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 17
Posted by 1stClassAlan (U2459016) on Thursday, 5th November 2009
Yes, on the face of it I would agree that some of the old duffers at the RHS ( with suitable leather bound books in the background ) might have uttered loud snifs at James May's plastercine garden ..... but hold on a minute - they are completely autocratic and nothing happens at Chelsea without their express permission ..... so I put it to one and all that they ain't so fuddy-duddy as you think.
The actual design was well thought out and completed by a great committee of folk cadjoled into it by J.M. albeit in his touse-haired, corduroy uncle style. Garish colours and wild schemes are nothing new at Chelsea or the likes of Darmuid Gavin would be out of a job and I think the public has warmed to expecting at least one such offering every year.
Sometimes I look at the more Establishment gardens and the proposterous lengths the designers have gone to spend north of £300,000 and wonder if they should have.
.Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 18
Posted by SilverGalanthus (U13903849) on Friday, 6th November 2009
I enjoyed James May's programme on his plasticine Chelsea garden, which I hadn't realised until I saw the programme, that it was part of a series on taking a childhood toy and making something gigantic out of it.
He did say to the first round judges that he had a special dispensation to create his garden when they asked him if his garden contained any flowers. I enjoyed their philosophical conversation about whether plasticine flowers were real.
I'm proud to say I've never watched an episode of Top Gear, but I did enjoy James's delivery and banter throughout the programme - very laid back and cheerful sounding chap.
Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 19
Posted by JM (U2179966) on Friday, 6th November 2009
I can't see why you are proud not to have seen Top Gear - you must be working on hearsay. It is a very enjoyable programme with nary a hint of Political Correctness and very refreshing for that. Though I find the car sections a bit boring ...
Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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Message 20
Posted by SilverGalanthus (U13903849) on Friday, 6th November 2009
Dear JMB,
Well, I don't drive for a start so a car programme is completely irrelevent at the moment; but even if I did I would not watch it as JC is not my cup of tea at all. Anyone who can talk with such a bombastic air about the general issues of the world clearly has no real understanding of the issues nor a desire for truth or understanding towards working out proper solutions.
Anyway, each to their own I'm sure. As I've gone completely off topic, I'll no doubt get modded now,lol...Link to this forum: Plasticine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show
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