Turn left at the bronze moose, go past the towering delphiniums, and through the rose arch and you’ll find yourself at one of the chicest parties of the season. On Tuesday, the Newt in Somerset brought the countryside to the heart of London as the headline sponsor of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and its evening cocktail party held in conjunction with Vanity Fair was the place to be.
Guests flocked to its doors, desperate for relief from the pouring rain that had dogged the fair all day – “Chelsea Shower Show, more like,” one attendee quipped – to be met by beaming smiles and glasses of South African Babylonstoren wines and cider. Once inside, thoughts turned swiftly to more tropical climes, thanks to the soaring palms, delicate curtains of leaves, giant lily pads suspended from the ceiling and furnishings in 50 shades of green. A bespoke Diptyque fragrance scented the air and staff clad in khaki overalls gilded around with trays of botanical-themed cocktails. The hubbub of nearby King’s Road seemed blissfully far away.
The increasing trendiness of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show has led it to be affectionately dubbed “Glastonbury for gardeners,” and Tuesday’s crowd certainly proved the point. Actors Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Tanya Reynolds (who all arrived in sleek Range Rovers), author and columnist Raven Smith, radio presenter Anita Rani and fashion designer Henry Holland were among guests who enjoyed a literal taste of The Newt, with light bites made from ingredients sourced from the West Country estate, including salt-baked beetroots with lovage emulsion and baby gem, apple gin-cured trout on rye with nasturtiums and capers and a sandwich of rare roast British White with roasted glasshouse peppers, rocket and horseradish. Perhaps the most popular dish, given the inclement weather, was the Westcombe cheddar and kraut toastie with honey, which had many going back for more.
And then all too soon it was time to swap the rosé for raincoats and leave the verdant haven to return to the urban bustle of SW3, with many already planning a long weekend in Somerset.
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