Towering garden wows at Chelsea

'The Westland Magical Garden' designed by Diarmuid Gavin during the Chelsea Flower Show in London.

'The Westland Magical Garden' designed by Diarmuid Gavin during the Chelsea Flower Show in London.

Published May 22, 2012

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London - Among the mix of traditional, contemporary and wacky garden designs on display at the Chelsea Flower Show, one Irishman's unorthodox high-rise exhibit has been grabbing all the headlines.

Chelsea regular and TV personality Diarmuid Gavin's 24-metre tall pyramid towers over everything around it.

His Westland Magical Garden is made up of scaffolding constructed over eight levels, all covered in greenery but with different themes.

Bellboys will take people up the levels in lifts, with the option of a stainless steel tube to slide back down.

The award-winning gardener said: “I've experimented with gardening in urban situations, where green space is at a premium.

“We've tried to see if different people can have completely different gardens all on top of each other.

“It's also a humorous garden as well, as there are lots of fun elements, like the slide.”

Gavin said his favourite level was the second one. “It's a little Oriental garden, a secret one.”

Ahead of a visit by the Queen, members of rock 'n' roll royalty flocked to a sneak preview of the world-famous flower show.

Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr formally opened the event's WaterAid garden while The Who frontman Roger Daltrey was at the Homebase Teenage Cancer Trust Garden as a patron of the charity.

Other famous faces to visit the show included Sir Michael Caine and Sir Cliff Richard, who posed for photos at the Barbados Horticulture Society's floral display. - Belfast Telegraph

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