Three traditional Hackney Carriages were given a ‘blooming lovely’ makeover for Chelsea Flower Show this year. Three specially designed garden cabs had been created with London in mind, focusing on three distinctive themes, Jubilee, Nightlife and Pick Your Own Garden.
The limited edition cabs were transformed by the black cab app Hailo and Ian Drummond, Chelsea Gold Medal winning garden designer. They drive passengers to and from the Chelsea Flower Show and around London during the week, each with a keen amateur gardener cab drivers at the wheel.
The garden taxi-takeover not only celebrates the opening of Chelsea Flower Show but also marked the beginning of the summer season for London cab drivers and passengers alike, with events such as Wimbledon, the Serpentine Summer Party and the Proms heralding an explosion in travel across the capital.
Accessorised with a corgi
Hailo, the free Smartphone app founded by three London cab drivers in 2011, uses GPS technology to connect passengers to the nearest free black cab with just two taps and the option of contactless payment, meaning significant reductions in waiting times and increased passenger security.
Russell Hall, Hailo founder and ex-London taxi driver commented: “In the same way that everyone looks out for the first daffodils of spring, cabbies look forward to Chelsea Flower Show to signify the beginning of the peak summer season. And now with Hailo in their armoury they can look forward to less time spent sitting empty and even more happy passengers.”
To tie in with the Jubilee celebrations this garden embraces all things royal, with red, white and blue plants and flowers, many of which are native to the British Isles. To complete the right royal look the garden is accessorised with a corgi, English tea and scones, making it a (Hackney) carriage fit for a king or queen.
