* I was invited to the Gardeners’ World Live show and provided with a pair of tickets to the show, therefore all my posts will be marked as 'Ad’ though as usual my views and opinions are very much my own.
This garden designed by Samantha Stringer, and to give it its full title - Think, all things pink, is an absolute winner. While it was awarded a Gold medal at the show I think I’d have awarded it higher. It’s a great ode to pink in all its shades and it was designed ‘to inspire the use of a single colour when planting’ and it definitely does that, though I think MOH might raise an eyebrow or two if he knew that was my plan for our own garden, but it shows how effective using a single colour can be.
And who knew that so many shades of pink could live so harmoniously together?
Pink encourages the feeling of strength and boldness according to the blurb board next to the garden, and the different tones add depth and interest, as do the different shaped flower heads.
I’d quite happily be sold, but I do like a bit of big and I absolutely love dense planting like this. I know it’s a show garden and all that, but I’d love my borders to be so fully stocked, when I get to them that is. Though I have a plan, which is to buy the plants now and grow them on so that I can split them as they’re planted so getting (at least) two plants for the price of one, and getting to enjoy them right now.
Or that’s my excuse for my current uptick in plant buying!
I love the attention to detail in this garden, and I love these pastel striped dahlias - but look more closely at the picture and you’ll notice pink edged raffle tickets for the plants which had already been bought by those visiting on the last day of the show.
Ah more dahlias, these spiky petalled sort remind me of the ones dad grew in our childhood garden, back then I probably thought they were terribly old fashioned and dated. But now I love them so clearly the flowers are back on trend, not that I’ve become terribly old fashioned and dated!
I mentioned the attention to detail earlier, and here’s another example - with the designer wearing what other colour, than a beautiful dusky pink.
I guess if you’re going in, you’re best to go all in - and what an absolute triumph of a garden to close out my posts from the 2025 show. I’m going along to the show next month and can’t wait to see and to share the delights and inspiration available this year.
* With thanks to Gardeners’ World for inviting me to Gardeners’ World Live, it was quite a show! I hope you’ve enjoyed the posts from my visit to the 2025 show as much as I enjoyed the show - I’m already looking forward to what’s in store from this year’s show next month.