Day 2 RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Here's a round up of all thats good at the prestigious Best of British Flower Shows, RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2011:

Record numbers of gold medals were awarded at a "best ever" Chelsea Flower Show today despite a two-month spring heatwave and a judging day storm that threatened to wreak havoc.

Eight gold medals were handed out, one up on last year. Diarmuid Gavin also won his first gold medal for his extraordinary Irish Sky Garden, dominated by a huge crane that lifted an Avatar-inspired "flying pod" 80 feet above the show ground.
The B&Q garden, overlooked by a 30ft tower representing a "vertical allotment", the tallest structure ever to feature at Chelsea, also struck gold.
The Daily Telegraph became the first sponsor in the history of the event to win a hat-trick of best show garden titles. Its calming garden, based on Roman ruins in Libya, beat off competition from "bling" entries that attracted more publicity and led to the event being dubbed the Chelsea Tower Show.
All the designers have struggled with unseasonably warm and dry weather, which brought flowers into bloom before today's public opening, to display their gardens at their best. A deep Atlantic depression which caused high winds yesterday also brought problems as judges did their tours.
Cleve West, designer of the Daily Telegraph's sunken garden, told of how parsnips from his allotment flowered early. The 52-year-old said: "I added the parsnips as a bit of a novelty but they actually flowered early and really added to the garden."
Described as the "Heston Blumenthal of gardening" for his creative flair, West added: "The sculpture is based on the Roman ruins in Libya - it's a magical place and it just makes what is happening there now more sad."
The previous winners for the Telegraph were Andy Sturgeon, who won last year, and Ulf Nordfjell, victor in 2009.
The best urban garden award went to Jamie Dunstan, whose Winds of Change design for Stockton Drilling was dominated by six "turbines" engineered from reclaimed industrial cooling fans. Mr Dunstan, 39, who had only previously won silver, said: "It was a big surprise. I was hoping for Silver Gilt. I had to change the trees because of the wind and the rain. It wasn't easy, they are incredibly heavy."
The garden is made from reclaimed materials including a prison door. Gym flooring still show shoe scuffs from badminton and basketball games.

- www.thisislondon.co.uk