Well, it has been quite the week at RHS Chelsea and, honestly, rather glorious. To attempt to include everything would be impossible, but I’ll try to remember a few of the moments that mattered most.
To begin with, my mum, who stepped in to help with the flowers when they failed to arrive on time. She drove down at the crack of dawn on Sunday with the missing stems, spent the entire day quietly helping me finish the stand, appeared with a drink at precisely the moment I was on the brink of collapse and gently whisked Hugo away so he could get back to the children. We simply couldn’t have done any of it without her and I don’t take that for granted for a second.
The Chelsea Flower Show gate this year was an absolute joy to see, I loved seeing it grow - overflowing with sweet peas, lupins, broad beans, and stunning roses in dreamy ombré tones ranging from soft creams to vibrant pinks. The scent was incredible and it really stopped people in their tracks along Hospital Road. It’s definitely inspired me to fill my own garden with all of the above! 
And we’ve also been loving our RHS Chelsea Flower Show tote bags, they’ve had so many compliments this week. We’ve been sending you off with them too, beautifully scented with your favourite fragrances.
A small pinch me moment this week. Nicola Bonn of On the Scent podcaste and the ever formidable Jo Fairly (founder of Green and Blacks) both said they loved 91 Days of Spring perfume which is the sort of thing one replays internally at least three times just to be sure it really happened. I am considering having it embroidered onto a cushion.
They have also launched On the Scent magazine which I have, of course, bought immediately.
In other happy encounters, I finally met the delightful JP Clarke who is every bit as warm and welcoming as you might hope. If you have not yet wandered into his Substack on his renovation saga, do it's wonderful.
We won 5 stars for our stand! Being handed that gleaming award felt faintly surreal, if I’m honest. The sort of moment that makes all the late nights, last-minute panics and 3am catastrophising suddenly seem entirely worth it. Naturally, there had to be fizz involved, and my parents-in-law, as ever, appeared clutching a bottle before we’d even had time to properly celebrate. 
Then there was this moment many of you sent me from the gala night where I accidentally stepped into a shot with David Beckham. It nearly made me spit out my coffee.
This feast garden was such a joy and an inspiration all centred on home grown produce. Utterly beautiful and of course styled by a Norfolk gardener who quite literally grows her own vegetables - she grows veg!
This was me collecting a rather urgent Uber delivery from our Lambs Conduit Street perfumery after we had, for the third time, completely sold out of our Geranium and Tomato candles.
These were my marvellous neighbours who kept me going throughout. The Plant School offering wonderfully considered gardening courses led by some of the finest teachers in Britain and the sculptress Laura Jane Wylder whose cold cast bronze pieces bring such an ethereal presence to the garden. Do have an oggle here.
This rather wonderful garden, The Children’s Society Garden, with such a good and simple mission at its heart. To look, to perhaps give, and to ask yourself, 'How your own garden has brought you joy?'
And finally, where would we be without pudding. The food this week at Chelsea has been so good, with evenings drifting by over a glass of wine, a properly full tummy and a great deal of laughter. This was last night at The Orange, which is just as it should be, bustling and joyful with genuinely excellent food. I mean, do just look at it.
Have a lovely weekend! The sun is out!
Talk soon,
Bella xx