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After a glorious, dry week at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2010, the heavens opened on Saturday, the final day.  But the rain couldn’t dampen our spirits on the Naturally Fashionable Garden.  It was another brilliant day, with the public clamouring to admire everything and congratulate us on winning our silver-gilt medal. 

In between chatting to folk and handing out our leaflets (we handed out over 30,000  in six days), we took cover from the rain in Starbucks, the Laurent Perrier tent and the Exhibitors’ Restaurant. (Obviously, not at the same time!)

Then at 4 o’clock, the bell rang and the big plant sell-off began.  Everybody just went for it big time!  Melissa, Kristina and Nick Dexter (our award-winning garden designer) were pulling up plants in their pots left, right and centre, bagging them and grabbing the cash for our chosen charity, Breast Cancer Campaign. We were selling off plants and flowers at a bargain ‘two for £5’ and we raised £495 in about 50 minutes.

As Kristina pointed out, “We were surrounded by happy people, with arms and bags full of greenery and flowers.  Afterwards, our poor garden looked like it had been attacked by a plant-mad shopaholic!” Melissa agreed, adding, “It was manic!  I swear it took four days to get my fingernails clean!”

Nick had planted so much, that there were still lots left after the sell-off – plus all of the trees, which were simply too big for people to carry away.  Although we did hear that one woman pre-booked a seat beside her on the train for all the plants she was planning to buy from various show gardens!  Now, that’s what you call organised!

Anyway, now that the show’s over, Nick and his team are busy dismantling the garden and packing up the remaining plants and trees.  We’re donating everything left to Breast Cancer Campaign and the Shooting Star Children’s Hospice that they support. The Hospice is having its Open Days later this month, so the delivery of the plants and flowers will be just in time to spruce up the gardens.  And a very snazzy it will all look too, that’s for sure!

The Shooting Star Children’s Hospice provides free care, support and advice for children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families across the western half of London and north Surrey – 365 days a year. For more information on their work, visit http://www.shootingstar.org.uk/

And make sure you check out the BrandAlley Chelsea Flower Show Flashwalk  to see what we got up to on our Naturally Fashionable Garden during Press Day.  It’s what happens when you mix high fashion with naked models, painted with Sonia Delaunay inspired designs!  We caused quite a stir, as you can imagine.

So, what’s next?  Watch this space for more fashion-fabulous BrandAlley adventures.