Wes

Chelsea this year has been a huge success for our company, but mainly for the Australian Horticultural industry. This is now the third year we have gone to Chelsea, with a different designer and a different contracting crew. In the 3 years Australia has been represented we have come away with a 'silver guilt' medal, and the last 2 years with gold!! The gold in 2006 has definitely placed the Australian Horticultural industry at least equal, if not above any other in the World!! It is something everyone in our industry should feel a sense of pride in and hold their head a little higher in that knowledge.

Dean and the team at Rollingstone have been nothing short of AMAZING, the spirit in which the garden came together was something that I will remember for a long time.

Scott Wynd iced the cake this year, what a special person he is.

Brett and Leanne have been a wonderful example of Fleming's company culture.

Dean

After a year of planning we couldn't have hoped for a better result and it is a credit to all of those involved. The experience has been an amazing one that we will all remember for the rest of our lives.

The RHS and the horticultural community here have really embraced the whole crew and ensured a fantastic experience for us all (as well as allowing us to swim in Andy Sturgeon's pool).

The result has again emphasized the quality of Australian design and construction on a world stage. All Australian's should be extremely proud of the crew and their gold medal.

Scott

After last years experience at Chelsea, I didn't think that it could get any better, but to work with a new crew of great people and a brilliant designer has been sensational. Other than being scarred slightly along the way by sighting Brett sleeping nude on the bathroom floor it has been a fantastic experience.

Sharing the experience of an exciting and stimulating plant sale was topped off by nuding up to swim in Andy Sturgeon's pool. These will be some memories that will stay with me forever.

Winning another gold medal, in the third venture onto the world stage, shows that it is no fluke - Australian horticulture has some great leaders and innovators.
Thank you to all who have made it possible for a dream like this to become reality.

Mick

It's been a great experience and learning curve to work with another company in another country and to achieve such a great result. There has never been a dull moment and I have enjoyed every minute of it. A big thanks to Wes and Fleming's and to Dean for allowing me to have this great experience. (And yes Wes you do snore and you should get it checked out)

Jimmy

Competing in the most prestigious show all around the other side of the world has been one of the most exciting and enjoyable things that I have ever done. I've thoroughly enjoyed working with a whole group of fun and interesting people and if I am lucky I hope that I will get the opportunity to do something similar in the future.

Will

It has been a great experience. It's been fantastic. It's been a lot of fun - I can't wait to do it again. Thanks to Wes and Dean for giving me this opportunity.

Darko

I've had an absolute ball - It has been one of the most enjoyable months of work that I have had to date. I have really enjoyed the experience, it has been a great experience. Meeting so many new people was definitely one of the highlights. I hope I get to do it again one day. I'm looking forward to going home and seeing my girlfriend, family and friends.

Brett

Its been great to have had the chance to work with everyone - a great bunch of blokes. I think that the way that we gelled not only in a work sense, but in a social sense outside of work, has been great.

To do so well at the most elite garden show in the world is an amazing feeling. I think that the gold medal made all of the hard work, blood, sweat and tears worth it.

I am shattered that it is over to be honest. For me the highlight of the show was the plant sale and diving into Andy's pool - it capped everything off.

I am extremely thankful and grateful to have had this opportunity - it's certainly not where I expected to be five years ago. I'd like to thank from the bottom of my heart the Fleming family, Dean and the Rolling Landscapes crew, Scott (my room mate) and Leanne (for being my alarm clock)

Andy

The team effort to put this show together and pull it down has been amazing. The ME Lighting crew (being Loretta and myself) would like to thank Dean Herald from Rollingstone Landscapes and Wes Fleming from Fleming's Nurseries for the opportunity of being involved with this years show. We have made some great friends and will cherish the time here in London forever)

Leanne

As the only female on the crew I think that it is only fair that I get to have the final word!

Congratulations to all members of the crew for both the result that you have achieved as well as the manner in which it was achieved. The way the entire crew has worked together has been incredible and I have no doubt that all of the comments above are completely genuine.
Thank you to the Fleming family for allowing us to be a part of your vision for the future of our industry. I wish more people within the Australian industry could share and understand the significance of the Chelsea experience.

To Dean, Matt, Mark, Mick, Darko, Jimmy, Grant and Will thanks for your efforts in the design and construction and for making my job easy, but also for the humour and fun that was an unexpected highlight of the process for me.

Andy, many thanks for all of your help - I thought you were here to install lights, so your efforts for the team have been well above and beyond expectations.

To Scott, all I can say is that I am so glad you made it and thanks, but it doesn't seem enough!

Brett - Thanks and I'm so glad that it was Scott who opened the bathroom door!

Kev and Stu - thanks for the unforgettable entertainment.

Also a big thanks from me to Peter, for keeping the website up to date and for managing to decipher my emails, that were often written way too late at night or early in the morning.

To the Trailfinders crew, especially Nicky, Andrew, Lisa and Justin - your help before and during the show were much appreciated and I hope that we can work together again in the future.

As with all things there are many deserving people who do not get a mention, so a big thanks to all who have willing offered assistance (however big or small) in bringing this project together - without a true team effort it really would not have been possible.

I think that I speak for everyone in saying that for Australia this has been the best Chelsea ever!!

Yesterday was a good progress day.

Will still managed to find some timber off cuts to throw around

So many yellow people

Scott figured out the easy way to remove the steps

The final team photo (and the revealing of the fact that Dean is really a dwarf!)

Even though the weather was miserable the crowds were still large

Brett was trying to convince the crowd that this is the way all Australian's dress!

The plant sell off

By the end of the show Dean and Tim the OHS man were best mates!

To celebrate the wonderful English summer the crew went for a swim in Andy Sturgeon's Cancer Research garden.

Michael and Megan Brennan from Mitre 10 in Dubbo, who won the Fleming's competition for retailers during the 2005 Bare Root season

Naomi O'Donnell and Bethany Williamson who won the Fleming's Student Design Competition at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show in April

One of Jane Edmanson's tour groups

Wes thought that he could take some creative photos!

The day started with a performance by Didgeri Stu...

...which created a great deal of public interest

Thank goodness Trailfinders provided umbrellas

Mick made a few last minute adjustments to the water feature

The kids play area was a good place to show how proud the family is of Dean's design

We had a visit from Jane Edmanson

The day ended with a team dinner and some celebratory drinks

We travelled to the show with the Better Homes and Gardens film crew - Jason provided great entertainment and was a good distraction from the nervousness that we were all feeling.

We were all anxious to find out what the result was. The gardens that have won medals get a certificate put on their signs. We had a long wait before they got to our stand with the medals.

We all gathered in a group and went to get the result together

As soon as we saw the result there were hugs, kisses and congratulations all round.

The gold medal is at the bottom part of the sign.

Wes and Jimmy trimming the final few leaves before the judges arrive

Dean, Nixon and Bryson (his Children) playing in the sandpit in the garden

Didgeri Stu attracted a lot of attention

Kev made an appearance - which pleased Will (and hopefully this pleases Stacey)

Stu and Kev teamed up for a duo

Wes and Dean discuss the likelihood of a gold medal

Don and Dawn were impressed with the garden

A Japanese chef cooked up a storm for lunch

Wes got a slight cut on his finger that needed an emergency response from the St Johns people

Needed some assistance from ER

We were visited by Princess Anne

Prince Philip

The Queen visited the site

...and shared a joke with Don

Don and Dawn then went home with their umbrellas

The water features were filled up and turned on

Don and Dawn arrived in time to take a photo of Wes putting the finishing touches to the planting

As soon as the really heavy rain started we all decided it was lunchtime

Wes had to pose for some photos while everyone else kept working (the photographer had it set up so that the grass of the tree looked like it was growing from Wes' head)

Dean also had to pose for the 'worried about the weather photo'

The new umbrella (borrowed from a lady walking past) added to the effect

Mick had to put the finishing touches to the stone walls

It was bare feet only to do the very final clean up

Fooling around at the end of the day, Scott, Mick and Darko decided that the closest they could come to being Dean was to stick a picture of him to their foreheads.

It's actually finished (although the pebbles on the paving are holding a plastic sheet over the fresh grouting)

Tomorrow is judging day, but whatever the result, the crew all deserve a massive congratulations for their fantastic effort. Most have worked 14 days straight and up to 14 hours each day in order to get the garden finished on time. Despite who appears or doesn't appear frequently in photos and updates, all of the boys have played a vital role in constructing the garden and it really has been a huge team effort. Family and friends can be justifiably proud of each individual team members achievements - they have all done a great job representing the Australian horticultural industry at the worlds most prestigious flower and garden show.

So, when do we find out the results? Tuesday morning London time (which is late-ish Tuesday Melbourne/Sydney time)

Everyone chipped in to get the Buxus hedge planted

Scott then did one final trim

Jimmy was thinking about his trip to Chelsea story

Grant and Will did some more grouting

Brett was so hungry he started eating mulch

Jimmy was eating leftovers from a few days ago

The brochures were delivered and all go stacked away

The whole thing is almost finished

The site from above

Brett helped carry the fish and chips to site

That's Jimmy cleaning the deck (in case anyone was having trouble recognising him!)

Matt and Darko did some grouting...

Mick and Mark did some grouting

Grant and Jimmy did some grouting

Brett watered some plants

Dean started the day hugging one of his favourite plants

Mick and Darko worked on the paving

Matt took care of the brick edging

Mark spent the day doing what he does best!

Who needs a fork lift when you've got Matt, Dean, Scott and Brett

The garden really is taking shape

Matt found one way of cutting firewood...

... and Scott found another way.

Grant, from his best side, finishing the tiling above the kitchen sink

The day ended with Darko pretending to be Cinderella

Special section for Lyn and Tony....

Of course people want more photos of me!

Better look like I'm doing some work for the camera!

I'm sick of you following me with the camera!!

Once again Wes and Brett worked on the planting -yep, that is a shovel in Wes hand!

It's coming together well

Was raining again, which meant that everything needed to be covered with plastic (again)

Darko concentrated on sweeping up the mud and water (you can tell he's concentrating because he has is tongue out!)

Matt is the first person who managed
to find a seat for using the brick saw

Scott considered defaulting to the New Zealand crew (Can you believe he was sent this message, "You look so handsome in your photo, yet it doesn't do you justice. But then how do you caption sheer magnificence in a simple photograph?? I mean, your hair is like a fountain of flowing chocolate, your eyes like two pools of caramel, your arms are so wonderful they make their own noise and the rest of you ... its just indescribable.")

We surprised our new crew member Kev by arriving home early today.

Andy was smiling as he was one of the few people who had a job to do under cover...

... and because he could actually see his lights working

Wes and Brett continued to work on the planting...

... which is starting to come up well.

Jimmy kept working on the finishing touches of the cladding

Mick and Marc started putting the decking detail onto the back of the tiled wall

Matt concentrated on filling the water channel with sawdust

... and Darko is still thinking about missing Kel more than Foxtel!

The kitchen started going in...

...and Mark was there to test the drawers

The water feature dining table was given a test run..

...everything worked well

The second shipping container was taken away

The planting was ready to be started - after Wes and Dean had a chat of course

The Xanthorrhoea are still heavy!

Grant put some decking down in the lounge area...

...then added the lounge...

...and then some paving as well

Matt, Darko and Scott discovered that the screens were really heavy.

At least this one didn't have to be carried too far.

We are pleased with the finished look of the screens

Mark thought that the screens were more impressive than the water feature wall.

Chimney is as good as done

Pavers are looking good

Brett and Leanne had a day off work and went sight seeing, including to Stonehenge.

We bought two table just in case one got broken, but we were taking no chances with the first one. (They said it was heavy)

Slowly does it

It's there in one piece - just needs to be finished off...

..which means someone needs to get underneath it.

Note to Dean: When lying under table make sure there isn't a hammer above your head - it might fall!!

Can you do that again for the camera?

Meanwhile Matt's sanding , ready for the paint...

...and to give us something else to laugh at!

Jimmy and Matt got the grouting done on the tiles

While Mick concentrated on the stone

The trees are finally in a straight line

Brett made sure the plants got a drink

Wes and Dean wish that they hadn't run out of diesel!

First the Ligustrum were lifted into place

Then they measured to make sure they were straight

Some gentle persuasion with a crow bar was needed to get some of the trees into position. (Yes that is Wes with his hands dirty!)

And that's also Wes digging the hole deeper, with Brett's help

Brett's loving the work!

Meanwhile, the stonework on the chimney is still being done

Matt and Marc put the first tiles on the wall

Matt's still going...

...and the stone is still going on

The tiles are nearly finished

No wonder they have trouble getting the bus to pick them up at the end of the day

Today started with Matt working on the roof

Then some plants arrived

Jimmy took care of the last few pieces of blue board

This is the look of a person who hasn't received any messages yet - Somebody please send one to Grant

The cladding started to go on the chimney

Overview of the site

Brett and Scott arrived today and spent the afternoon sitting in the first English pub that they found.

And the day ended with Matt working on the roof

As usual the day started with a bus trip to the show grounds.

Andy set about testing all of the lights

Mick, well we won't talk about what he did

Oops! (and that is him walking away!)

Mark started putting the framework for the gazebo structure in place

Grant laid bricks for the steps (the same ones that were part of the world record attempt by Matt yesterday)

Darko, spent time thinking that he actually misses Kelly more than Foxtel!

Dave (the team member no-one knows about!) continued building the rear screens

Matt put his ear plugs in and read his message from the website

Jimmy was working, but here he provides great scale for the Xanthorrhoea!

And Will - he sacked Dean and spent the day sitting around as the boss!!

Today saw the floor of the kitchen starting to take shape,

...a picnic lunch inside the floral marquee

...and Matt's attempt at the world record for most number of bricks lifted by one person

First job was to put a tarp over the work site

...which made Dean happy.

While some people worked on making sure the tarp was going to stay up...

...Mick discovered mud!

Doesn't really look like a show garden at the moment...

...but we are still working on it.

Dean's happy with the arrival of the plants

The grass trees look fantastic, but are really, really, really heavy

The Ligustrum are much lighter, but still heavy.

Our uniform ensured that everyone knew we had arrived!

After a briefing...

...it was straight into unloading containers

More work with the digger and dumper (as they are called over here)

...and it's starting to take shape

In departure lounge in Dubai

Some of us were a bit tired

Finally arrived in London

Dinner