Chelsea Flower Show 2022 would have been the 70th year Peter Seabrook was involved in creating a display at the world’s most prestigious flower show.
For the majority of those years, Peter was designing and creating displays, often pushing the barriers of what was expected, be that creating raised walkways above Sun Flower Street or introducing new plants often with more colour and annual flower than was really understood by the judges.
The plans Peter had submitted for what he said would be his last ever display at Chelsea (those of us who worked closely with him had been hearing this for probably 20 years!) never received approval before Peter’s sudden death in January of this year.
A team of people, led by Val Christman, who had worked on displays at many events over the years with Peter have pulled together and self funded a tribute display at this year’s show, with some help on space in the Great Pavilion from the RHS.
Val told us: “Everything we have used in the display has been to Chelsea before with Peter. The pergola, the paving and a number of the planters have all been renovated and used in this display.
"Peter used to talk about recycling flowerpots long before it became fashionable, so I think he would approve of what we have created! All the plants have been to Chelsea before too. Some we have dug out of Peter’s garden, others like the Allium Lavender Bubbles, Peter gave to me after the show last September when he introduced it as a new plant.
"Peter Beales lent us a Rose Chevy Chase for a display 10 years ago so it is wonderful they have done the same again in memory of Peter. Every plant has a story associated with it some going back many years others more recent like the Verbena Margaret’s Memory which peter introduce last year and was such a hit with show visitors. We have even sneaked in a few of the Chrysanthemum Poppins grown again by the students from Pershore High School, that formed the centre piece of the pyramid Peter created at the show in September last year.
"The only thing which will be new on the stand is the lovely oak bench that has been purchased and will have a memorial plaque on it. I think Peter would be proud of what we have achieved and perhaps even a little humbled by the effort the industry has made to honour his years of work and commitment to our industry. I must say a huge thank you to all the growers and suppliers who have helped us pull this together in such a short time.”
Peter’s daughter Alison and son Roger will be attending Chelsea on Monday 23rd May when the display will also be used by the charity Peter was a founding Trustee of the David Colegrave Foundation to make an important announcement at 11.00am with some of the friends of Peter’s from the trade gathering for a picture.
