RHS Hampton Court Show - The Perils of Pink

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Pink Perils all stacked up at the RHS Hampton Court Flower show yesterday - waiting to be unleashed on the unsuspecting public on the opening day of the show!

Press day at Hampton Court yesterday and what a lovely day it was too.  There was a lot of pink. 

Pee Frog

The Control the Uncontrollable Garden aimed at people with an overactive bladder! This was particularly apposite for the Sock who had got stuck in long traffic jams on the way to Hampton Court and had for ages been 'bustin' for a piss'  as the phrase goes.  It had been touch and go as to whether the Happy Pee Frog (which the Sock keeps in her glove compartment) was going to be christened but a petrol station with toilets had appeared just in time. This was a huge relief as the Sock can't really see the Happy Pee Frog working 'in situ' particularly worrying as she had just had the Sockmobile valeted.


The next  proliferation of pink was the Conceptual Coppafeel garden designed by Hugo Bugg for the breast awareness charity.  The Sock can't help feeling that 'Coppafeel' is a slightly off putting name being reminiscent of builders yelling "Oi - cop a feel of this luv!" across the street in days gone by, before builders all became models of gentility and decorum.  Not entirely sure about the giant boobs either - although the ladies wearing them were doing a great job -  but if it helps raise awareness then perhaps one shouldnt' be too critical.

The Sock did like the interesting way the interior of the 'garden' photographed..

The LOROS Hospice Garden of Light and reflection was partially hot pink which was great if you like pink

and then partially not.. the sculpture at the front of the garden being softer textures and shades

neither part of the garden seemed to marry together at all. Two gardens crammed into one to the detriment of both.

The Sock feels a little mean criticising gardens that are for such good causes - the LOROS garden "aims to heighten the awareness of the therapeutic benefits of gardens and represents a segment of the LOROS hospice courtyard. A beautiful garden can help a patient come to terms with an incurable illness and provide a restful retreat for carers." But ultimately no matter how great the message, for the Sock it still wasn't a great garden.

The Sock definitely agreed with the message given by the Think! Cover Up  conceptual garden

about the dangers of skin cancer, the gravel and plants evoking a starkly hot environment with the trees giving shade protection to a standing sculpture. But with Pa Sock dying from it, Bro Sock having landed on the right side of the 50/50 terminal prognosis given for a skin cancer some years back and the Sock herself now paying the price of skin sun damaged in childhood... it was a little depressing. 

This is a flower show and the Sock began to feel a little bogged down with  so many themes of ill-health and bodily functions around.

Another invasion of pink with a partially pink orb garden room ruining an otherwise rather lovely Japanese garden.

 
The Sock wasn't terribly keen on any of the Poet themed gardens and the pink petunias in this don't do it any favours

Don't let these pinks make you believe the Sock got the blues at Hampton Court *groansatpun*.  The Sock had a fab time and will be blogging about the lovely Green stuff later on.