The effect of the global pandemic has meant that event organisers have had to adapt their offering with all physical events being cancelled. Chelsea Flower Show is no exception and the show which has been running since 1913 will go virtual for the first time ever. They will be offering lots of online content for garden lovers from their usual line up of experts and celebrity gardeners.
If you are a fan of the event, as well as enjoying the virtual event, why not try and create a little bit of ‘Chelsea Magic’ at home?! This idea is the brainchild of stylist & author Selina Lake who is paying homage to the floral event in her own garden and sharing expert tips for styling some Chelsea magic in your outdoor space.
Selina worked on a project at last year’s event and was due to style a garden again this year, so she didn’t want it to go by without celebrating the occasion in some way, so has come up with own interpretation of Chelsea at home.
Selina has been busy styling her own garden and shed like a magical Chelsea exhibit and has even created a short video to inspire you! “”For me the RHS Chelsea event means a week full of floral inspiration. As the show is going virtual this year I thought it would be fun to put a short video together to share how I’m paying homage to the wonderful event. I hope I’ve given you a few ideas for #stylingsomechelseamagic in your own gardens or at home. The most important thing this week is to have fun”
Selina shares a few tips for creating your own Chelsea Magic:
1/ Decide on a theme, this could be based on a collection of colours or patterns. I was inspired by the Magnolia /Cream/ Blue R1351.4 Linen fabric, from Baker Originals Collection and the array of flowers that are currently blooming in the garden, so I have chosen a bright clashing and dashing florals theme.
2/ Work with what you have, repurpose bed sheets as tablecloths, old jugs as vases or recycle glass bottles to use as bud vases. Borrow cushions and throws from your sofa to comfy up and add style to garden furniture and dig out bunting or other decorations.
3/ Flowers Flowers Flowers… pick flowers growing aplenty in your garden, forage for a few wild flowers and foliage to add in. Cow paisley is abundant at the moment. Not enough flowers? There are lots of florists still trading online with no contact deliveries so research your local area for fresh flower sources. I mixed some of my garden flowers wisteria, Viburnum and Orange Geums with a bucket of locally grown blooms from Pig Pen Flowers which included deep purple Tulips, peachy pink Ranunculus & white Anemones.
4/ Get creative, have a go at making your own styling props to use. I made a couple of cushions and a set of two simple napkins for my table & our garden sofa using lovely Magnolia /Cream/ Blue R1351.4 Linen fabric, from Baker Originals Collection. If you have some fabric, give napkin making a go. My tablecloth was a super quick make, I simply cut a piece of bleached muslin fabric to size and I didn’t even hem it.
5/ #Makethemostofyourshed – my latest book Shed Style (published by Ryland Peters & Small) is full of ideas for making the most of garden buildings from sheds to greenhouses so I added a few extra touches to my shed interior for this project. These included vintage Chinese lanterns, candles in jars & a botanical wall chart.
If you’d like to join in, get out in your garden this week and have a go at styling it up. If you don’t have a garden, why not have a go styling an indoor green space with flowers and plants and you can tag your pics with #StylingSomeChelseaMagic so Selina can see your results!
