Chelsea's Starr attraction

By Carole Davies - 19/06/2008

 Being the gardening correspondent for Mature Times is not just tapping out copy in the early hours of deadline day. It also means having to do essential research visiting shows like Chelsea Flower Show on press day and then finding yourself face to face with celebrity gardeners and famous flower aficionados. Its a tough job, as they say

 

Ringo Starr, whose small frame belies a huge personality, arrived somewhat less than discreetly at the Chelsea Flower Show in a psychedelically-coloured Mini chauffeured by former Formula One star Damon Hill. The erstwhile Beatles drummer was at the show to promote a garden celebrating the life of fellow Beatle George Harrison, together with Georges widow Olivia Harrison.

 

Ringo, with typical good humour, entered the garden posing obligingly for the hoard of press photographers before pointing his own camera at them calling for them to make the two fingered peace sign. At least I'll get prints of this one, he quipped.

 

 From Life To Life, A Garden For George was designed by Yvonne Innes in collaboration with Olivia Harrison and sponsored by The Material World Charitable Foundation. Olivia Harrison said: George was a passionate gardener and took every opportunity, when his busy schedule allowed, to develop his own garden. He found it a release from his busy and hectic lifestyle.

As a celebration of his life, music and philosophy, From Life to Life, A Garden For George depicts Harrisons journey from the material to the spiritual world. George himself was an immensely talented and passionate gardener.

 

His life is depicted in four ascending tiers, linked by a Venetian smalti glass mosaic path created by renowned artist Brian Clarke.

 

The garden, features a vegetable garden with an old-fashioned bicycle leaning casually against a brick wall representing Georges first experience of gardening on his fathers allotment. The path then moves on to a more lively scene becoming very colourful as it winds its way through exuberant planting representing the 60s where flowers jostle and vie to be the brightest and boldest, before entering a more mature age represented by calm greens with ferns and mosses beneath silver birches as the mosaic path changes to natural, quieter colours.

 

The garden enters its final phase as the path becomes a bridge crossing a narrow rill leading to a white stone pavilion, distinctly Eastern in its architecture and surrounded by planting in shades of silver reflecting the spiritual, contemplative period of Georges life. On the left of the bridge water cascades over a life size image of George, appropriately sheltering beneath an umbrella, etched onto glass.

The garden, which perhaps disappointingly, only won Silver Gilt at the Show, will be recreated in the grounds of Friar Park where George spent his last years with Olivia. It's coming home with me, she said.

 

Founded by George Harrison, The Material World Charitable Foundation established in 1973 aims to encourage the exploration of alternate and diverse forms of artistic expression, life views and philosophies and also supports established charities and people with special needs.