Rock legends visit flower show (From Wandsworth Guardian)

Rock legends visit flower show

2:00pm Monday 21st May 2012 in National Entertainment News © Press Association 2013

Ringo Starr and Roger Daltrey were among the special guests who got a sneak preview of the Chelsea Flower Show.

Former Beatles drummer Ringo formally opened the event's WaterAid garden today (Monday) while The Who frontman Roger was at the Homebase Teenage Cancer Trust Garden as a patron of the charity.

Ringo demonstrated the clean water pumps that WaterAid provides for poor communities in developing countries as he opened its Herbert Smith garden in the show's artisan section. The star, who has supported WaterAid since 2003, was also presented with a traditional drum from Malawi, on which he showed off his skills.

"I truly believe everybody should have clean water. I'm just doing my part to make sure that happens," he said.

Roger admitted he wasn't much of a gardener himself, saying: "My wife's a gardener, I don't do the garden. My garden's nothing like this. I like it wild."

The star told reporters: "This garden was actually provided by B&Q," before being corrected that it was in fact Homebase. "I just came off a plane from Japan," he said. "I'm only halfway here."

Other famous faces to visit the show included Amanda Holden, Sir Michael Caine and Sir Cliff Richard.

Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda wore a pink dress and leopard print high heels, and admitted she wasn't that suitably dressed. Asked about claims that the Queen has someone to wear in her own shoes for her, Amanda said: "I wouldn't let anyone near my shoes, they're almost as precious as my children."

And asked about new BGT judge David Walliams, she said: "He's got a very dark, sort of weird sense of humour. He's a feeder, he's constantly giving you chocolate and cake and all sorts of beautiful things."

The show will be open to the public from tomorrow (Tuesday) but special guests had a sneak preview today.