A caravan called Doris

Wouldn’t this be the perfect place to write?

It’s a caravan called Doris, and it’s the star of a very popular garden at the Chelsea Flower Show this year, created by Jo Thompson, to celebrate the Caravan Club. Click on the picture to read the story.

I haven’t had the chance to go to Chelsea this time, much as I love it, and although it’s almost walking distance across the river. I’m missing it loads, because so many of the gardens look particularly fabulous this year. Lots of beautiful planting and topiary, which I love, and less razzamatazz, which I’m not so bothered by. The five year-old is desperate to go up in Dairmid Gavin’s scaffolding sculpture, which features a dining room, a vegetable garden in the sky and even a working shower. The views from it are incredible. All it’s missing, in the little one’s opinion, is a toy shop. Next time, Dairmid.

Jo’s garden – back to the caravan – is gorgeous, different, girly and intimate. As I watched an interview with her on BBC2, I suddenly thought how familiar she looked, and how even more familiar she sounded. It turns out we were at university together, studying Italian, ooh – about *that* long ago. Even more wonderful than her garden is to see how well things have worked out for her. She’s an award-winning garden designer (well, she would be, wouldn’t she?). If only we’d known then what we’d be doing now …