Flower power meets power of print

 

Lots of power of print activity to report from my annual jaunt to the Chelsea Flower Show.

From the excellent wayfinding and event branding across the site produced by Octink, to the thousands of visitors eagerly picking up their branded bags and garden plans, this flower fest was enhanced by printed matter in many variants.

And despite spotting a few QR codes here and there (including of course an entire QR Code Garden), printed materials remained the dominant promo of choice. The handy catalogue (printed by BGP and Stones) proved a far more practical guide around the show than attempting to squint at some sort of app in the glaring sun.

The appeal of beautiful lettering was demonstrated by Martin Cook, who somehow managed to maintain concentration while working away on a new piece during the event.

Large-format graphics also made it into some of the gardens - the Kirstenbosch display in the great pavilion featured clever large-scale images that made it feel as if you were viewing the plants in their native environment.

And in the shopper's paradise of Eastern Avenue, I found an example of really high-value print - a limited edition 'motion lenticular' from Allan Forsyth Contemporary Art - yours for ?3,400+VAT.

Whether high-value, highly-effective, or high-efficiency - print was shining as strongly as the sun.