Back in the seventies, I worked for a company which made precast concrete kerbs, slabs, drainage etc. It was best known for motorways etc., and was the largest supplier in the country. We were 'Charcon', and the 'Derbyshire' flags and channels were the best ever!
We then branched out into garden decorations, like small 18" square slabs, coloured walling etc, and it was a fabulous time for all of us, as we also sold to garden centres etc, and met some lovely buyers, and also some gorgeous people working out in the yards. I loved it all! The DIY stores were also just getting going so we had a marvellous market to work in!
One particular garden designer used to take a stand at Chelsea, and chose our coloured precast stone for the landscaping. When the great days arrived, we'd all do several stints on the stand, hand out info stuff, and let the kids in for their photos from their proud family, and I just loved every minute of it all! We got several prizes, and saw lots of famous names too. I went there several years on the trot, and was so lucky to be involved for all that time.
On the final day of Chelsea, there's a huge sell-off, when all the stall-holders get rid of the stock they've used during the week. I can easily remember staggering back to my car in Battersea Park, around nine o'clock in the evening, with a bin-bag crammed to the top with plants, shrubs, flowers etc, and bringing them home. There was so much for just a few quid, that we actually 'created' a 'Chelsea Garden' at home, and kept cuttings from all the shrubs for years!
In fact, we think that we still have some euonymous here, which may well be grandchildren from all those years ago...
Fantastic years back then, but I had to move on eventually - supermarket roofs paid more...:0.
