I’m a keen gardener, so it's always a special occasion to visit Chelsea Flower Show for some real inspiration, sublime planting combinations, new materials and a different slant on garden design.

Some top gardening tips from the show:

- plant purples from pale duck egg to deepest indigo
- naturalistic planting
- embrace Iris's the main flower in all the show gardens, and also the return of Lupin's as seen in the 'best in show Laurent Perrier garden' by Luciano Giubbilei. Other noteworthy flowers were Foxgloves and Cow-Parsley
- sinuous trees such as Birches, Acers and Amelanchiers
- Hosta's and Fern's to add depth and interest to planting
- a variety of grasses, some quite tall are planted amongst the flowers to bring softness to colour schemes
- water features, and if you can afford it a sculpture too.
- plant of the year was a Hydrangea with double flowers (mopheads)
- Christoper Lloyds, Great Dixter Garden was inspiration for many of the show gardens, worth a visit!