The RHS has announced that the Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival will be postponed due to the ongoing situation with the coronavirus.
Hampton Court was scheduled for 7 to 12 July 2020, and will now run between 10 and 15 September 2020.
Further to the announcement, the RHS has also decided to cancel RHS Tatton Park Flower Show (which was scheduled 22 to 26 July) and RHS Wisley Flower Show (scheduled 8 to 13 September).
RHS Hyde Hall Flower Show will be postponed from 5 to 9 August will now run 2 to 6 September. RHS Rosemoor Flower Show has also been postponed from 14 to 16 August to 18 to 20 September.
In an announcement today the RHS explained that postponing Hampton Court to September means that the RHS can support nurseries in the south of England as there are other flower shows taking place int he north of England in September, including Harrogate Autumn Flower Show. Tatton has been cancelled in order to avoid clashing with Harrogate.
Sue Biggs, director general of the RHS said: "The RHS is extremely sad to miss this important event and seeing so many friends at Tatton and we are currently considering a virtual show as a way to stay in touch with exhibitors and the community that love Tatton as much as we do.
“We are also sorry to cancel our very special Wisley Flower Show, but with moving Hampton dates it does not make sense to hold two flower shows, in such close in proximity, so close in time. We hope that the joy of returning to Wisley in summer will be reason enough for our much valued members and visitors to come and see us again.”
The RHS will contact everyone who has purchased a ticket to the affected shows to offer later show dates, refunds and other options should they wish to show their support of the RHS.
All future planned RHS shows are subject to government advice.
This year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show has also been cancelled, but the organisation announced a Virtual RHS Chelsea Flower Show which will take place in its stead.
