BEATLEMANIA erupted at London's Chelsea Flower Show as Ringo Starr joined George Harrison's widow for the opening of a garden inspired by the "quiet Beatle".

Photographers swarmed around as Starr drove up in a Mini brightly painted with symbols of the Hindu faith that Harrison embraced for years.

Harrison, who died of cancer in 2001, was a keen gardener, which is reflected in the exhibit.

"He always told me his first garden was his father's vegetable patch," said his widow, Olivia. She said that as a teenager, Harrison was unhappy at being kicked out of a local park at closing time and had always said: "One day I will have my own garden."

Designer Yvonne Innes said the flower show exhibit was designed to depict Harrison's journey from the material to the spiritual world.