Yorkshire blooms as Chelsea gets taste of rhubarb

Whether it is in the smaller courtyard gardens or the bigger show entries there is an impressive northern presence among the tropical blooms, pagodas and dovecotes.

The stunning 12ft-high lock gates which form the centrepiece of Leeds City Council's Hesco Garden 2010 certainly had the wow factor, drawing the crowds on members' day.

"It's bizarre. I feel I am standing by the Leeds and Liverpool canal. It looks like it has been here forever," said actress Lesley Joseph. "I think it is wonderful the way they build gardens like this, Leeds should be very proud."

Piers Morgan agreed. "I think it is fantastic. My dad read about the lock gates being brought down for the show and said we have to go and see them."

"He's a really keen gardener and is very impressed at the whole garden."

The garden's theme is the green link connecting the city centre to surrounding countryside with the lock gates allowing water to flow into a mock canal surrounded by three distinctive habitats, woodland, wetland and floral.

"It looks absolutely great and a real tribute to the parks department," said Coun John Procter, Leeds City Council Executive Member for Leisure.

"It is always good to hear the public reaction during the week as I and other elected members hand out brochures, particularly when the visitors are from Leeds and Yorkshire and say how proud they are at what we have done."

On a smaller scale but hoping to make just as big an impact is the Welcome to Yorkshire's Rhubarb Crumble and Custard Garden in the Courtyard section.

The garden is a quirky take on the classic dish inspired by Yorkshire's very own Rhubarb Triangle, this year celebrating Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb receiving protected name status.

A mouth watering bowl of Stockbridge Arrow rhubarb standing in yellow sedum sits centre stage with a wooden spoon oak chair made by furniture designer Peter Cummings at his studio in Reeth. But there is a serious purpose to the garden launching Welcome to Yorkshire's Gardens Campaign.

"We have some of the finest gardens in England, in all shapes and sizes and this is an excellent way of promoting them," said Peter Dodd, international sales director.

Only yards away, Yorkshire gardener Graham Bodle is making his Chelsea debut for Walkers Nurseries of Blaxton, Doncaster, also in the Courtyard gardens.

After showing for three years at Tatton Park he was thrilled to be invited to exhibit at the Royal Hospital grounds, choosing a Pine and Conifer Enthusiasts Garden in tribute to Lawrence and Vera Walker, the founders of the nursery.

"I wanted to show they could be used in a different kind of way, softening the conifers with grasses and making people think about them differently," he said.

Graham completed his Garden Art and Design degree at Leeds Metropolitan University in 2001 and as well as working at the nursery runs his own

landscape company Spacemaker.

With the environment in mind, the garden has been built using reclaimed materials and makes use of rainwater and a compost heap, while an insect house and nesting box attracts wildlife.

Young skills is also the theme of urban garden Growing World Class Talent, making good use of students past and present from Askham Bryan College including Keith Chapman, 24, from Richmond and Grant Finch, 19 from Scarborough.

While in the Great Pavilion the West Yorkshire Group's display for the Hardy Plant Society on the theme True Yorkshire Grit highlighted the hard work involved in showing at Chelsea.

"We didn't go to bed at all last night we were working so late," said exhibit co-ordinator Pat Inman. "We got in about 5.20am, showered and came straight back."

Other highlights yesterday included models wearing dresses made from flowers and the most expensive garden in British horticultural history as 20m worth of diamonds went on show in the bmi British Midland Ace of Diamonds garden.

There are over 600 exhibitors from all over the world and 157,000 visitors are expected.