Amid the Brexit chaos, a corner of London is in full bloom as the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show kicked off this week. CGTN's Juliet Mann reports.

Shoals of fish and coral reefs and giant octopus installations. Shop fronts and hotel facades in the local area around the iconic Chelsea Flower Show are festooned with floral art.

HUGH SEABORN CEO, CADOGAN ESTATES "As you look around the area you can see everything from whales to turtles, octopi to dolphins. It is quintessentially Chelsea in its flamboyance and creativity, but also such a typically English event. we see footfall increase between 30 to 40 percent so it is great for business as well as being a feast for the eyes of visitors."

The Chelsea in Bloom festival is a neighbourhood contest with 90 retailers and businesses taking part. All of them hoping to catch the eye of the Royal Horticultural Society judges, the same ones who judge the Chelsea Flower Show.

This window won the coveted award for best floral display, made up of 15 thousand individual stems. Participants were judged not only on their imaginative flair, but also their sustainability credentials, with many opting to use recyclable materials.

JULIET MANN LONDON "With this year's theme of Under the Sea, this installation holds a political message. Underneath the floral surface it is crammed with old plastic bottles, tin cans, rubbish recovered from British beaches in the last month alone."

As well as the serious message, there are crowd-pleasing treats around every corner, with photo opportunities galore. Business owners say they plan these displays months in advance and don't economise on the costs.

KIKI MCDONOUGH JEWELRY DESIGNER "Not everyone can get into the Flower Show anymore, it is full and crowded, it is hard to get tickets so this is nice for people to wander around the area and see what is completely different from the flower show but still involves flowers. It does cost in the thousands, definitely, but it is worth it -everyone walks away with a smile on their face and to me that is worth everything."

Chelsea in Bloom's deep dive under the ocean has attracted visitors from all over the world who enjoy viewing what is on the outside but who might bring in new business too. Juliet Mann, CGTN, London.