The RHS has announced that it is making the biggest changes to its RHS Flower Shows in a generation in order to to promote gardening to as many people as possible. In future, several of the RHS Shows will tour to new locations.
You may also like
- Sign up to our Chelsea Flower Show newsletter
- Everything you need to know about designing a Chelsea garden
- Tickets, dates and information for Chelsea Flower Show
While the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the RHS's flagship gardening event, and the RHS Malvern Spring Festival will stay the same, the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival will become a biennial event from 2026. A new show will take place then in the grounds of Badminton Estate in Gloucestershire, returning to Hampton Court Palace in 2027.
After 2024, RHS Flower Show Tatton Park will return to the site every three years, with a 2025 RHS Show at Wentworth Woodhouse, near Sheffield, and a 2026 one on the Sandringham Estate, the private country retreat of King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The first RHS Urban Show took place in Manchester earlier this month, with a focus on gardening for small spaces and community involvement. The RHS will announce a new location for next year's show soon.
The RHS says that the changes will enable them to deliver world-class horticulture to the doorsteps of members who may not have an RHS Garden near them, and that creating shows in "fixed venue" sites means better sustainability opportunities, too.
The new shows will have names that reflect their new venues. The RHS will have the opportunity to work with more communities, designers and nurseries, plus other stakeholders. RHS Director of Shows, Commercial and Innovation, Helena Pettit says: “We’re excited about the opportunities these new partnerships in new locations will offer and will be able to get really creative with ideas and content for our visitors. We look forward to working with current friends and new to innovate and create the best horticultural events in the world.”
RHS Director General Clare Matterson added: "These are some of the biggest changes we’ve made to our shows in a generation and we’re delighted to be extending our reach and making the RHS more accessible and welcoming to more people."