The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, formally known as the Great Spring Show,Phil Clayton, ''The Great Temple Show'' in ''The Garden'' 2008, p.452, The Royal Horticultural Society is a

garden A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate bot ...

show held for five days in May by the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr ...

(RHS) in the grounds of the

Royal Hospital Chelsea The Royal Hospital Chelsea is an Old soldiers' home, Old Soldiers' retirement home and nursing home for some 300 veterans of the British Army. Founded as an almshouse — the ancient sense of the word "hospital" — by King Charles II of Eng ...

Chelsea, London Chelsea is an area in West London, England, due south-west of Kilometre zero#Great Britain, Charing Cross by approximately . It lies on the north bank of the River Thames and for postal purposes is part of the SW postcode area, south-western p ...

. Held at Chelsea since 1912, the show is attended by members of the

British royal family The British royal family comprises Charles III and other members of his family. There is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is considere ...

. Highlights to the Chelsea Flower Show include the avant-garde show gardens designed by leading names with Floral Marquee at the centrepiece. The Show also features smaller gardens such as the Artisan and Urban Gardens.

History

Great Spring Show

The first Royal Horticultural Society Great Spring Show was held in 1862, at the RHS garden in

Kensington Kensington is an area of London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, around west of Central London. The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up by Kensingt ...

. Before this date the RHS had held flower shows from 1833 in their garden in

Chiswick Chiswick ( ) is a district in West London, split between the London Borough of Hounslow, London Boroughs of Hounslow and London Borough of Ealing, Ealing. It contains Hogarth's House, the former residence of the 18th-century English artist Wi ...

, which themselves had been preceded by fetes. The Kensington Garden was chosen as a site because the flower shows in Chiswick were experiencing falling visitor numbers due to problems such as poor transport links. The Great Spring Show was held at Kensington for twenty-six years but in 1888 the RHS decided to move the show to the heart of London. The site chosen was the Temple Gardens, situated between the Embankment and

Fleet Street Fleet Street is a street in Central London, England. It runs west to east from Temple Bar, London, Temple Bar at the boundary of the City of London, Cities of London and City of Westminster, Westminster to Ludgate Circus at the site of the Lo ...

, which had a recorded history dating back to 1307 and which were said to date from the time of the

Knights Templar The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...

. The roses for which these Temple Gardens were famous were alluded to in

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

's '' Henry VI Part 1''. Using three marquees requisitioned from the old Kensington shows, the 1888 show was a success with exhibits from both amateurs and commercial firms. By 1897 five marquees were being used with many of the best known plant and seed merchants being attracted to the event including Suttons and Sons.

Royal International Horticultural Exhibition

In 1912, the Temple Show was cancelled to make way for the Royal International Horticultural Exhibition. Sir Harry Veitch, the great nurseryman, secured the grounds of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea for this one-off event. It proved such a good site for an exhibition that the Great Spring Show was moved there in 1913, where it has taken place almost every year since. There have been two breaks for world wars.

Royal Hospital, Chelsea – early 20th century

The RHS first became involved with the Chelsea Hospital in 1905. Three years before, it had leased the grounds of Holland House in Kensington to hold what was first advertised as a Coronation Rose Show, but which turned into a more general show (with not many roses) by the time it actually opened in June. Two further two-day summer shows took place at Holland House in 1903 and 1904, but then, to the general satisfaction of exhibitors and press, a three-day Summer Show was staged in the hospital grounds, a more spacious site than Holland House had allowed, with room for five tents. The Summer Shows reverted to Holland House for the years thereafter, except in 1911, when both it and Chelsea proved unavailable, and the Show was held at the Olympia exhibition hall. The Royal International Horticultural Exhibition of 1912 used the grounds of Chelsea Hospital as the site for the show, and for 1913, the Great Spring Show was moved there. The first Chelsea Flower Show opened on 20 May. The Summer Show reverted to Holland House. Despite the First World War, the show was held 1914–1916, but was cancelled in 1917 and 1918. By the 1920s, the Chelsea Flower Show had returned to its previous form; the famous Chelsea tea parties were established and Royal visits resumed. In 1926 the show was held a week late due to the General Strike. In 1937, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth celebrated their Coronation Year, and an Empire Exhibition was staged to mark the occasion. It featured wattles from Australia, pines from Canada, gladioli from East Africa and even a prickly pear from Palestine. The show was cancelled during the Second World War, as the land was required by the War Office for an anti-aircraft site. Some doubt arose as to whether the show would resume in 1947. The majority of exhibitors wanted a postponement, as stocks of plants were low, staff much depleted and fuel for greenhouses was obtainable only with special permits, but Lord Aberconway (then RHS President) and the RHS Council felt strongly that the show should resume as soon as possible. The show eventually successfully went ahead in 1947.

Royal Hospital, Chelsea – later 20th century

The Queen attended in 1953, the year of her coronation, and she was also a regular visitor prior to this date with her father, George VI. The show went on to increase in popularity throughout the second half of the 20th century and crowding became a major problem. Crowding within the tents had been a recurring issue during the interwar years, but was always handled by increasing the number of tents; photographs show heavy crowds in the open, especially in the vicinity of the rock gardens. As the 1970s progressed, attendance at the show climbed by 6,000 visitors in a single year (1978). In 1979, crowding became so severe in the mornings that the turnstiles were temporarily closed. It was decided to open the show at 8a.m. the next year, and close it at 8.30p.m. in the evenings, with a reduced price for entry after 4p.m., to try to draw people away from the morning timeslot; a one-way system was also laid out in the marquee (a solution that had been rejected as impractical 20 years earlier). The new arrangements for the show were successful in 1980, and a majority of the Council voted for the imposition of a ceiling on the number of tickets sold. However, visitor numbers continued to increase, and in 1987 the turnstiles were closed again. In 1988 a cap had to be placed on the number of visitors attending the show due to problems that were occurring with overcrowding. A limit of 40,000 visitors per day was imposed – a reduction of 90,000 in total from the previous year – and members were charged for tickets for the first time. An immediate response was a fall in attendance; by April, ticket booking was so slow that national advertisements were taken out to encourage people to come to Chelsea, and the original announcement that tickets would not be available at the gates was rescinded. In response to issues with attendance numbers, the council began to look seriously at the idea of moving the show to a larger venue.

Battersea Park Battersea Park is a 200-acre (83-hectare) green space at Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth in London. It is situated on the south bank of the River Thames opposite Chelsea, London, Chelsea and was opened in 1858. The park occupies ...

Osterley Park Osterley Park is a Georgian era, Georgian country estate in west London, which straddles the London boroughs of London Borough of Ealing, Ealing and London Borough of Hounslow, Hounslow. Originally dating from the 1570s, the estate contains a ...

, and

Wisley Wisley is a village and civil parish in Surrey, England between Cobham and Woking, in the Borough of Guildford. It is the home of the Royal Horticultural Society's Wisley Garden. The River Wey runs through the village and Ockham and Wisley C ...

were suggested; one proposal was that Chelsea should be limited to plant sales, and the sundries rerouted elsewhere; the firm Land Use Consultants was also hired to prepare a feasibility study. However, after considering these options, it was concluded that the show should stay at Chelsea. Despite this, the show's programme was expanded into other venues, with the

Hampton Court Palace Hampton Court Palace is a Listed building, Grade I listed royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, southwest and upstream of central London on the River Thames. Opened to the public, the palace is managed by Historic Royal ...

Flower Show taken over in 1993; the increased options for both members and for exhibitors meant that the intense criticisms and conflict of the 1980s over the future of the show did not return.

Present day

The Chelsea Flower Show is attended by 157,000 visitors each year (a number limited by the capacity of the ground), and all tickets must be purchased in advance. From 2005 the show was increased from four days to five, with the first two days only open to RHS members. The show is extensively covered on

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

by the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

. An official DVD of the show is produced on behalf of the RHS by ONE TWO FOUR. Several members of the

attend a preview of the show, as part of the royal

patronage Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, art patronage refers to the support that princes, popes, and other wealthy and influential people ...

of the RHS. The area of land devoted to show gardens increased steadily between 1970 and 2000 and the show has become an important venue for watching trends. New plants are often launched at the show and the popularity of older varieties revived under the focus of the horticultural world. Highlights from the 2011 RHS Chelsea Flower Show included The Irish Sky Garden by Diarmuid Gavin, based on the idea of a restaurant in the sky. Other notable gardens included the HESCO Garden by

Leeds City Council Leeds City Council is the local authority of the City of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. Leeds has had a council since 1626, which has been reformed on numerous occasions. Since 1974 it has been a metropolitan borough council. It provides the ...

, who reconstructed an impressive and idyllic working water wheel in the grounds of the Royal Hospital. The 2011 show also saw the introduction of the new Artisan garden category, which was created for designers who use natural materials. In 2023,

King Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...

and

Queen Camilla Camilla (born Camilla Rosemary Shand, later Parker Bowles, 17 July 1947) is List of British royal consorts, Queen of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms as the wife of King Charles III. Camilla was raised in East ...

attended the show and viewed a special display to pay tribute to the life of Queen Elizabeth II and to mark their coronation.

Catherine, Princess of Wales Catherine, Princess of Wales (born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton; 9 January 1982), is a member of the British royal family. She is married to William, Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the British throne. Born in Reading, Catherine grew ...

, hosted the first children's picnic at a newly created garden at the show with pupils from ten schools from the RHS's school gardening campaign invited. Since 2022 the show has been sponsored by The Newt in Somerset.

Awards

There are four grades of award presented – gold, silver-gilt, silver and bronze – in each of the awards categories. Bronze grade exhibits do not actually receive a

medal A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be in ...

Awards categories

* – Gardens and floral exhibits * – Exhibits of trees * – Exhibits of vegetables, including herbs * – Exhibits of special educational or scientific interest * – Exhibits of pictures, photographs, floral arrangements and

floristry Floristry is the production, commerce, and trade in flowers. It encompasses flower care and handling, floral design, floral design and arrangement, merchandising, production, display and flower delivery. Wholesale florists sell bulk flowers ...

Special awards

* Best Show Garden Award * Best Courtyard Garden Award * Best Chic Garden Award * Best City Garden Award * RHS Sundries Bowl * RHS Junior Display Trophy * RHS Floral Arrangement Trophies * RHS Floristry Trophies * Show Certificates of Merit * Certificates for Junior Displays * RHS President's Award * RHS Best Tradestand Award * RHS Director General's Award for the Best Tradestand.

Significant gardens and exhibits

*1929 – Sherman Hoyt's exhibit of American cacti, complete with painted backdrops depicting the Mojave desert, which was acquired for Kew and had its own glasshouse there for over half a century, before being absorbed into the Princess of Wales Conservatory *1930s – J. Macdonald's grass gardens, declaring the merits of ornamental grasses *1936 – Hilliers' 'Dingley Dell' exhibit *1937 – Coronation Year: the Empire Exhibition, with displays of ornamental and economic plants from around the Empire *1953 – another Coronation Year: William Wood of Taplow staged a 'Cutty Sark' garden *1959 – ''The Times'' 'Garden of Tomorrow', complete with radio-controlled lawn mower *1960 – The great orchid display to accompany the Third World Orchid Conference *1964 – ''Popular Gardening''s 'Garden of Today' *1967 – The first garden for the disabled at Chelsea *1968 – Wisley's exhibit of

hosta ''Hosta'' (, synonym (taxonomy), syn. ''Funkia'') is a genus of plants commonly known as hostas, plantain lilies and occasionally by the Japanese name gibōshi. Hostas are widely cultivated as shade-tolerant foliage plants. The genus is placed ...

s, which gave a great boost to their popularity *1980 – Display of

penjing ''Penjing'', also known as ''penzai'', is the ancient Chinese art of depicting artistically formed trees, other plants, and landscapes in miniature. Penjing generally fall into one of three categories: * Shumu penjing (樹木盆景): Tree penji ...

from China *1982 – Brenda Hyatt's display of auriculas, which launched these plants back into popularity *1988 – John Chambers's

honeybee A honey bee (also spelled honeybee) is a eusocial flying insect within the genus ''Apis'' of the bee clade, all native to mainland Afro-Eurasia. After bees spread naturally throughout Africa and Eurasia, humans became responsible for the c ...

garden. This was the last year the Wilkinson Sword for Best Show Garden was awarded. *1991 – The RHS reinstated the Best Show Garden Award in conjunction with Fiskars (who were the owners of the Wilkinson brand and were relaunching the brand Fiskars). The new award was the Sword of Excellence and was presented by the RHS President to the ''Daily Express'' Garden 'The Forgotten Pavilion' designed by John Van Hage, who became the youngest-ever designer to win a RHS Gold medal at Chelsea. *1993 – Julie Toll's seaside garden controversially won the short-lived Fiskars Sword of Excellence for best show garden, described by David Stevens as "a sand dune garden that was well planted and beautiful, but visitors said it wasn't a garden." *1994 – Isabel and Julian Bannerman's ''Daily Telegraph'' Old Abbey garden with a virtuoso display of mature tree transplanting. The ''Sunday Express'' Railway Garden by Julian Dowle was a very popular themed garden featuring Railway artefacts, wild flowers, a vegetable plot and a colourful display of cottage plants. *1996 – Dan Pearson's London roof garden for the 1990s *1997 – Christopher Bradley-Hole's Latin Garden, the first garden at Chelsea to exhibit the new fashion for sparse planting *2000 – The Garden History Society's Le Nôtre Garden, and Piet Oudolf's winning 'Evolution' garden *2002 – Mary Reynolds became the youngest garden designer to win a gold medal at the show *2004 – Tourism New Zealand presented the first authentic thermal New Zealand garden entitled "Ora Garden of Well-being" winning a gold medal. *2009 –

James May James Daniel May (born 16 January 1963) is an English television presenter and journalist. He is best known as a co-presenter, alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond, of the motoring programme ''Top Gear (2002 TV series), Top Gear'' fr ...

's ''Paradise in Plasticine'', a garden made entirely of

Plasticine Plasticine is a putty-like modelling material made from calcium salts, petroleum jelly and aliphatic acids. Though originally a brand name for the British version of the product, it is now applied generically in English as a product category ...

. Its concept and creation was documented for ''

James May's Toy Stories ''James May's Toy Stories'' is a UK documentary television series created and presented by James May, and produced by Plum Pictures for the BBC. The programme focused on bringing some of the most notable toys conceived in the past into the mode ...

''. *2010 – Kebony Naturally Norway Garden designed by Darren Saines. It was the first time Norway was represented in Chelsea Flower Show with a big show garden. Exotic

orchids Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Earth ...

from

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

were presented by the Taiwan Orchid Growers Association (TOGA). This was the first time that Taiwan was invited to the Chelsea Flower Show. *2011 – Diarmuid Gavin's Irish Sky Garden. This was the first garden to be suspended in the air. *2016 – The largest-ever display in the Great Pavilion – Bowdens Nursery in Devon brought in The British Belmond Pullman Carriage 'Zena' – 63 feet long and 38 tonnes and built a breathtaking display at The Monument Step celebrating plant hunters throughout the world. It was a walk-through exhibition with thousands of plants, hostas, ferns, tree fern and bamboos and hosted 30,000 visitors during the show walking through the train carriage bedecked in art deco luggae and fine glass and crockery. It changed the game for displays in the Pavilion. *2016 – A display of 300,000 individually crocheted poppies, covering nearly , designed by Phillip Johnson and made by over 50,000 contributors. *2017 – Bowdens bring The Queen's Australian State Coach to Chelsea and build a display of Commonwealth plants around it. *2019 – The

Duchess of Cambridge Duke of Cambridge is a hereditary title of nobility in the British royal family, one of several royal dukedoms in the United Kingdom. The title is named after the city of Cambridge in England. It is heritable by male descendants by primogeni ...

worked with the RHS as one of the co-designers for a garden display at the 2019 Chelsea Flower Show. She designed the "Back to Nature Garden" together with Andree Davies and Adam White. The garden, which featured "a tree house, waterfall, rustic den and a campfire" among other parts, was unveiled at the Chelsea Flower Show in May 2019 to emphasise "the benefits the natural world brings to mental and physical well-being". *2022 – The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Garden. Laser-cut steel silhouettes of the Queen were featured, surrounded by 70 planted terracotta pots planted with

lily of the valley Lily of the valley (''Convallaria majalis'' ), sometimes written lily-of-the-valley, is a woodland flowering plant with sweetly scented, pendent, bell-shaped white flowers borne in sprays in spring. It is native throughout the cool temperate No ...

, the Queen's favourite flower. * 2023 – Garden of Royal Reflection and Celebration. The garden was created to celebrate Charles III's coronation and instill a sense of calm and reflection about the monarchy.

References

External links

RHS Chelsea Flower Show official site

Hampton Court Palace Flower Show official site

Coverage
from the ''

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Coverage
from ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...