Chelsea Flower Show to be held in May
The famous and
prestigious Chelsea Flower Show, officially know as the Great Spring Show is
going to be held once again by the Royal Horticultural Society this year from
the 24th to the 28th of May in the Royal Hospital Chelsea
in Chelsea, London. It is one of the most famous shows in the United Kingdom,
perhaps the most famous gardening event in the world and it is open to the
public so we can feast our eyes on the beautiful floral masterpieces of some
extremely talented gardeners.
Thus, over
the 11 acres
of stunning grounds in the Royal
Hospital, lucky visitors
will get the opportunity to see a wide range of spectacular show gardens and
floral exhibits at this annual flower show. The highlights of this floral event
include these show gardens designed by leading names and the centrepiece of the
floral marquee which are truly magnificent. The area of land dedicated to the gardens
has steadily increased between 1970 and 2000, and the show has become an important
venue for watching trends therefore, new plants are launched at the show and
the popularity of older varieties revived under the focus of the horticultural
world. It is the garden equivalent of a catwalk at a fashion show!
Several
members of the British Royal Family attend a preview of the show as part of the
RHS royal patronage thus, as you can imagine, this is a very popular event
which receives a lot of publicity, and it is attended by up to 160,000 visitors
a year, a number which is only limited due to the capacity of the grounds. Just
to give you an idea, the show was extended from four days to five in 2005, with
the first days only open to RHS members. Furthermore, the show is extensively
covered by the BBC and an official DVD is produced on behalf of the RHS,
something which you can take home as a souvenir.
There are
four grades of awards presented for participants’ merit; gold, silver-gilt, silver
and bronze, in each of the categories listed below.
Awards
categories:
Flora Gardens and floral exhibits
Hogg
Exhibits of tress
Knightian
Exhibits of vegetables
Lindley
Exhibits of special educational or scientific interest
Grenfell
Exhibits of pictures, photographs, floral arrangements and floristry
Furthermore,
the are additional trophies awarded including those for the Junior Display,
Courtyard Garden, and the RHS President’s award, amongst others.
As
mentioned previously it’s strictly advance booking only, with no admission on
the gate thus if you fancy going to the prestigious event then we advise you to
get a place as soon as possible. In addition, the first two days of the show
are reserved for members only but we would probably say its worth joining so
you can see everything at its freshest. Finally, booking slots are 8am-8pm,
3.30pm-8pm, 5.30pm-8pm and on the final day the show closes at 5.30pm so from
4pm there are great bargains to be had when exhibitors start to sell off their
plants.
Practical
information:
Dates: 24th
to the 28th of May 2011
Times: Tuesday
to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 8am – 5:30pm
Where:Royal Hospital Chelsea, Royal Hospital Road, London, SW3 4SR
How to get
there: underground, Sloane Square
stop
Where to
get tickets: Booking online by clicking here (there is also further details on
membership) or by calling 0844 338 7505 ((overseas visitors call +44 121
767 4063). For group tickets, call on 020 7492 1616 or book online here.
Price: 15
to 50 pounds
Anna - Marketing Team