My London Scrapbook Pages: Hampton Court Palace Flower Show

Hampton Court Palace opens its grounds every summer to host the world's largest flower show. I attended the first Flower Show in 1990 which was sponsored by the Historic Palaces and Network Southeast trains and the event was more like a very enjoyable village fete. Now the 34 acre site welcomes visitors and exhibitors from all over the world to this glorious setting beside the River Thames and the Royal Horticultural Society put on a better show every year.

This is how the site alongside the Long Water normally looks

Transformed!

You can easily spend a full day looking at show gardens, conceptual gardens, small gardens, water gardens and new for this year The World of Gardens. There is the floral marquee, the rose marquee and growing for tastes marquee along with the Country Living marquee and this year the RHS have carefully planned large areas for eating and drinking and even included a bandstand and live music to get everyone's toes tapping!

This great band tried to cheer up the awful weather

All the spaces have been lovingly created and the very best thing about this venue is that there is masses of space to wander between the gardens and enjoy everything the exhibitors have to offer. All the nurseries have plants for sale throughout the week, not just on the last day as at the Chelsea Flower Show, and the journey on the boat back to the bridge can be very amusing as everyone helps each other to make sure their beautiful floral specimens arrive home in perfect condition.

I'll share a selection of memories of the very wet day, the bad weather doesn't dampen enthusiasm though, garden lovers are made of tough stuff!

The day out starts at the bridge where we take one of the Turks Launches to the entrance showground. A bit of an indulgence for a short journey, but it is a lovely way to approach the Palace.

First garden we come across is surrounded by a massive crowd wathing Monty Don and Rachel de Thame filming a piece for the BBC.

This was a beautiful vision against the black sky - it looks life like but is in fact a huge glass creation.

Best Show Garden Bridge Over Troubled Water by Anoushka Feiler.

Entitled The Italian Job I can imagine how cool and serene this place would be on a hot sunny day - I wish I was there!

A garden for Dyslexia Action, tackling the issue and overcoming barriers to learning. The two interlocking squares are dissected by a path through the centre and a jagged slate circle and dark pool, representing the journey to diagnosis.

The winner of the Best Low Cost High Impact Garden, just a perfect place to chill out.

There are always so many new ideas to see every year, whether it be on colour and design, or the mix of plants.

Now, is this what happens to post boxes when we use the internet too much?!

This is The Edible Bus Stop, providing an eye catching "Riot of Colour". Inspired by the events of last summer, this installation sends the message that cities gain immense benefits from green spaces. Designed by Will Sandy, he hopes this will raise the profile of the need to use neglected public spaces more productively and show that small spaces can be transformed into neighourhood hubs.

Don't you just love these double yellow lines formed into a bench.

This exhibitor manages to complete another commission whilst manning his stand.

I could have done with one of these exotic parasols to cheer the gloomy day.

This is a new trend for gardens, not to cover your house in grass, this is easigrass. The option for artificial grass in those difficult to cultivate areas has become a bit more tempting when this is so like the real thing.