Opening Day
Usually, when we’re assessing tradestands at Chelsea Flower Show, we’re there on Press Day, but at these smaller shows where there is no such thing as a Press Day, we’re working amongst the visitors and the paying public. It’s good to get started early then, because there’s nothing worse than getting in the way of the customers, is there?
We were working in teams of three as usual, and the three of us set out on our “pink” route, finding that the first couple of stallholders were not quite ready as it wasn’t yet opening time. We moved on a bit and said we’d come back…but it’s a dilemma, isn’t it? Another one of those tradestand principles - one needs to be ready on time. The show opened promptly just a minute or two later, the gates opened and people began to arrive.
Now, regular readers might already be familiar with the kinds of things we’re looking for here as we approach the first stand on our list. We have a copy of the agreed criteria and hope to find lots of great examples to highlight. Mindful of the presentation given by the Chair of Assessors before we began this morning, in which he highlighted that this is “a flower show”, this first assessment might not have been the best place to begin. Where are the flowers?
Well, I expect you can spot them, but when it comes to the visual merchandising (VM) and showing respect for the product on sale (on the ground in a heap?) how might a customer respond? What messages does this company transmit to the show visitors through their marketplace?
Applying some of those VM principles makes all the difference. “Here’s how this could be used as a container in your garden” for a start. Plus, clear prices and details of the company who’s selling these lovely things, hopefully with a 3D barcode to snap with a phone so you can remember where you saw them.
The thing is, isn’t not rocket science! We are, most of us, customers of one kind or another and respond to clear pricing and attractive presentation. When there’s a door open to a greenhouse with a few pretty things inside, we’ll step in and take a closer look. If it’s been done well, we’ll imagine ourselves in such a place at home, dreaming of what we might achieve if we had such a lovely space to pot up our seedlings or grow our tomatoes.
However, if there’s more than one greenhouse, then perhaps it might be better to set them up differently? Make one for growing tomatoes and another for houseplants? One for working and the other for leisure? Demonstrate the versatility of whatever it is you have for sale, because what suits me might not suit you. Also, if there’s a story to be told, then tell it! UK made? Then yes, fly the flag!
Sometimes, however hard we try, the message escapes most people. For example, on one of my favourite stands, these ladders always create an eyecatching array. But I wonder if you spotted that they’re intended for uneven ground and the quiet way they chose to show that? *answer at the foot of this post 😘 Occasionally you have to shout about your fabulous product!
As we approached a stand, I’d usually introduce ourselves to the stallholder and explain what we were doing and they’d leave us to it. Here in the dappled shade of a tree, we each went for a look around the stand, making our own notes about what impressed us and any suggestions to note on our assessment sheet. When we stepped back together to share notes, we were all in unison here. We’d ticked all the boxes: great planting which set those water features into the garden but didn’t overshadow them, clear prices, the story of the product there on the panels behind the seating (for if I’m going to spend a lot of money, I want to know where and how it’s made) and a comfortable place to sit and chat. Oh, and a 3D barcode too 😉
Occasionally we’d struggle to work out what’s on sale. As I looked around here, I could hear my tutor and mentor’s words “too much prop, not enough stock” (Actually, the answer can be found in the first photograph of this post, because this was one of three alcoves on the same stand. The company makes and sells overhead awnings.)
We smiled as we rounded the corner and found ourselves in front of quite a familiar stand from Chelsea, where we thought we should test the product out (or was that really because we were more than ready for a sit down!?) Actually here, there was a good use of colour, active staff who were happy to chat to people and the planting was great too. Though we see the same stands/product in different settings, it’s always pleasing to see their standards as meticulous as ever (notice the joint between the floor surfaces?)
Here was another familiar name from my very first Chelsea a few years ago and how great it was to see that, although there’s exactly the same framework to their stand, they’ve taken on all our suggestions about how to dress it well and show their product! We were still not sure about the “windows” but appreciated how the products have been shown amongst planting, in groups (why buy one when three owls look so much more cute together?!) and there was clear pricing throughout too. Not only that, but don’t things look so much better when they’re raised off the ground, or “framed” by a clear border?
Occasionally there was a challenge of a different kind. I found it really difficult to see the product at all here. Perhaps the fox (actually the star item) had run off with the others? Not really, they are there sitting on the handles of the garden tools set in each of those boxes.
Another stand, another challenge here too. These are luxury, beautifully hand made items, but…? Might a brightly coloured silk cushion or two find a home here, do you think? More lavish planting than a sad pot plant?
Next door was a far smaller stand, in fact one with a product we’d not seen before. It had caught the eye of these two ladies passing by, who appreciated the response from the couple selling these beautiful pieces of work. Stepping in to look more closely and to chat with them about their product (each one individually made by the young man himself), we encouraged them to demonstrate that these are fire-bowls once the lid is removed. It was their first show and they had embraced all the advice and guidance they’d been given by the RHS to create a very effective and beautifully planted way to show their unique product very well indeed.
I think by now I need offer no explanation?
It was getting rather warm out there as we approached lunchtime and the crowds were building. One stallholder heard my voice and simply said “I come from Hull too!” In the next five minutes, not only did we discover he came from almost the same part of the city as I did, but his mother went to the same school as me. ( I do indeed have a distinctive accent and it’s usually only those who share it who can identify its origin 😎)
Moving right along then…
always being ready to give credit for great planting, effective visual merchandising and so on of course! Here, the effectiveness of their design was clear from the number of customers drawn into the stand by the attractive displays there.
As we completed our list, we took the opportunity to take a quick look around a few other stands, some of which were eye catching and might need a visit later on when I have my purse with me!
Lunchtime then! I headed towards the grand house, because the restaurant where my team were meeting for lunch was situated by the lake. I wonder what it’s like to have all of this going on in one’s garden?!
By the time we’d had lunch, spent time chatting and comparing notes and generally catching up with one another, I think we were all ready for home. Several of the team are heading for RHS Sandringham, coming up in a few weeks, but I shall be on holiday then, so it was “See you next year at Chelsea, Gill!” (Oh my….)
There in the car park were a couple of chaps offering “gardening giggles” - I’m not sure they’re the best pair of experts to offer advice, though, wouldn’t you agree? They were, however, excellent at raising a smile from hot, weary people trying to find their car!
And you’ve probably forgotten the question, but in the picture of the ladders, did you spot that one leg of a ladder was raised up on an enormous ball of string?
(I didn’t either, until someone pointed it out to me!)
