Chelsea gardens 1

Best in show: the Laurent-Perrier Garden, by Luciano Giubbelei: immaculate in every way. The moonlight colours of the flowers were a lovely contrast to the predominating purples and blues. The low Beech domes are very special, and look how the steps go down under water. 

Almost too perfect, the Telegraph Garden (Tommaso del Buono & Paul Gazerwitz) - but actually very satisfying. Modern, yet umistakeably Italian. Kennst du das Land, wo die Zitronen blühn?

The river of Iris sibirica in Hugo Bugg's RBC Waterscape Garden was exquisite.

Fine planting, done by Louise Venter, undoubtedly propelled the RBC Waterscape Garden to its gold medal.

The early morning light slanting through the plantings in the Garden for First Touch at St George's (Patrick Collins) created a wonderful effect; further up the slope the planting included a lot of nice ferns.

Paradisaea lusitanica (appropriately) and Hesperis matronalis catching a shaft of sunlight in Cleve West's evocation of a Persian paradise garden, for M&G.

The judges evidently found serious flaws with the BrandAlley Renaissance Garden (Paul Hervey-Brookes), giving it a bronze medal, but I loved it. At least I loved the left half of it: the herbaceous border was out of place. With symmetrical hedges it would have been perfect - no flowers needed.