Benches from RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Confession time. I'm afraid your bench correspondent failed on many many counts yesterday. First of all, I carefully charged up my camera, even nearly missed my train because I ran back to get it from where it was still charging, only to find I hadn't put it in my 'small going round Chelsea bag', and it was still sitting with the remnants of my packed lunch and the notes I'd been working on. ANYWAY resourceful as ever I turned to my brand new iPhone, and hey, only 10% of battery left. What can I say, it's new. I'm still playing with it.

However, enough excuses. On with the benches I did take, and the exciting bench trend I spotted.

Which is .... cue drumroll ... HANGING BENCHES...



Now, I know these aren't exactly new, but there seemed to be a lot more than I've seen before. Look this seat is even hanging from its own metal tree. Actually far less tackier than it sounds...



But apart from this excitement, benches remained as they are best. Peaceful, a little bit hidden ...



and sometimes with some words for added contemplation...



But perhaps best of all were the benches on the edge of the show - those around the edge of the Royal Chelsea Hospital itself, home to the famous Chelsea red-coated pensioners. If you look carefully you can see two, sans their uniform, sitting watching all the dresses go by and - I love this - very deliberately on the one bench in the shade on possibly our most beautiful evening yet this year.