This year, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) have released the first details of the Chelsea Flower Show – the world’s most spectacular annual horticultural event – earlier than ever.
In terms of garden themes and trends, the environment will be front and centre once again at Chelsea 2024, with garden designers keen to showcase their sustainability credentials. Urban garden fans will not be disappointed either, as several major gardens will be based on city plots.
We’re also promised thought-provoking designs which tackle challenging themes, such as freedom from torture, as well as visual feasts inspired by history and art.
Here’s everything we know so far…
When is the Chelsea Flower Show 2024?
Next year’s show is happening between Tuesday 21st May and Saturday 25th May. Take note that the first two days are RHS members-only, but members can usually purchase up to four tickets each, so may bring guests.
- Tuesday to Wednesday: RHS Members’ Days – open 8am to 8pm
- Thursday to Friday: Non RHS Member Days – open 8am to 8pm
- Friday Chelsea Late event: open 5.30pm to 10pm
- Saturday: open 8am to 5.30pm (sell off of displays begins at 4pm, bring cash)
How to buy tickets for the Chelsea Flower Show 2024
Tickets are now on sale through the RHS website. Ticket prices are as follows, for now, but will increase on Tuesday 2nd January 2024, the RHS says.
- Tuesday 21st May & Wednesday 22nd May: RHS members only from £48.85
- Thursday 23rd May: RHS members from £37.85 – non-members from £45.85
- Friday 24th May: RHS members from £37.85 – non-members from £45.85
- Saturday 25th May: RHS members from £72.85 – non-members from £89.85
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Chelsea 2023’s Best in Show, Show Garden: Horatio’s Garden
What can we expect to see at Chelsea 2024?
We’ll update breaking news for 2024’s event over the coming months, but for starters, we list below the announced Show Gardens to look out for. Several are part-sponsored by Chelsea’s charitable foundation, Project Giving Back.
Other highlights include Flood Re’s Flood Resistant Garden and a celebration of 200 years of the National Gallery, sponsored by fine jewellery company Boodles, in the Sanctuary Gardens.
There will also be an RHS Feature Garden called No Adults Allowed. With an amazing sunken den surrounded by water, it’ll be a dream space for children.
Chelsea Show Gardens 2024
The National Garden Scheme Garden – A therapeutic garden for hospital patients, with an ‘edge of woodland’ feel. Designed to be sited in the south of England, it will feature drought-resilient plants.
Designed by Tom Stuart-Smith | Built by Crocus | Sponsored by The National Garden Scheme, Project Giving Back
Bridge to 2030 Garden – Working from the flooded base of a rejuvenated quarry landscape, this is a water and stone garden, with a monolith slate stepping-stone creating a bridge to the 2030 vision of no new HIV cases.
Designed by Matthew Childs | Built by Yoreland Design Ltd | Sponsored by Terence Higgins Trust, Project Giving Back
The Octavia Hill Garden – Intended for an inner-city brownfield site, it’s a plant-filled urban community garden designed to stimulate physical, mental and social wellbeing, in memory of social reformer Octavia Hill, a founder of The National Trust.
Designed by Ann-Marie Powell with the Blue Diamond team | Built by The Landscaping Consultants | Sponsored by Blue Diamond and the National Trust
WaterAid Garden – This garden is all about sustainable water management, with a rainwater harvesting pavilion at its centre. The designers are including lots of ideas for visitors to take home to their own gardens, such as permeable surfaces.
Designed by Tom Massey and Je Ahn | Built by Landscape Associates | Sponsored by WaterAid, Project Giving Back
The National Autistic Society Garden – Using walls of cork, this garden seeks to capture an autistic person’s everyday experience of the world. The cork creates a series of spaces focusing on social interaction, such as at work or with friends, family and partners.
Designed by Sophie Parmenter & Dido Milne | Built by Landform Consultants Limited | Sponsored by The National Autistic Society, Project Giving Back
Stroke Association’s Garden for Recovery – Gorgeous soft trees frame views, and a calming colour block planting scheme of pink, orange, yellow, purple and green guide stroke patients and their families through this garden.
Designed by Miria Harris | Built by Landform Consultants Limited | Sponsored by Stroke Association, Project Giving Back
Muscular Dystrophy UK – Forest Bathing Garden – The design of this garden is inspired by the ancient Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, which means bathing in the forest atmosphere and reconnecting with nature through our senses. It will provide a special place of solace and reflection for those affected by the muscle-wasting condition.
Designed by Ula Maria | Built by Crocus | Sponsored buy Muscular Dystrophy UK, Project Giving Back
St James’s Piccadilly: Imagine the World to be Different – Celebrating the significance of urban ‘pocket parks’ in London and other cities – often connected with historic churchyards and some still bearing the scars of wartime bombing – this is a biodiverse and eclectic sanctuary, blending history and ecology.
Designed by Robert Myers | Built by Stewart Landscape Construction | Sponsored by St James’s Piccadilly, Project Giving Back
Where is the Chelsea Flower Show?
For the last 110 years, since 1913, the Chelsea Flower Show has been held at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London. The hospital is home to the Chelsea Pensioners who are retired soldiers from the British Army. More than 300 veterans live there today who have served in Korea, the Falkland Islands, Cyprus, Northern Ireland and World War II.
The building itself is a Grade I and II listed site and was given to the Chelsea Pensioners by Charles II and Sir Christopher Wren. There are 66 acres of land attached to the hospital which include the Ranelagh Gardens and the South Grounds, where the Chelsea Flower Show takes place.
The address is: London Gate, Royal Hospital Road, Royal Hospital Chelsea, London, SW3 4SR.
Highlights from Chelsea Flower Show 2023
Last year’s Chelsea Flower Show brought us a feast of floral and landscaping inspiration and ideas. From a therapeutic sensory garden designed to help hospital patients recover from spinal injuries to the perfection of tulips, the focus was on wellbeing and sustainability.
As a quick reminder, here’s a list of the Best in Show, Gold Medal and People’s Choice winners from Chelsea 2023.
- GOLD MEDAL AND BEST IN SHOW: Horatio’s Garden, designed by Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bugg SEE DESIGN
- GOLD MEDAL AND BEST IN CONSTRUCTION: The Centrepoint Garden, designed by Cleve West
- GOLD MEDAL: A Letter From a Million Years Past, designed by Jihae Hwang
- GOLD MEDAL: The Myeloma UK – A Life Worth Living Garden, designed by Chris Beardshaw SEE DESIGN
- GOLD MEDAL: The Nurture Landscapes Garden, designed by Sarah Price SEE DESIGN
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS 2023:
- The Myeloma UK – A Life Worth Living Garden (Show Garden)
- Feels Like Home, designed by Rosemary Coldstream (Balcony/Container)
- The School Food Matters Garden, designed by Harry Holding (Sanctuary/All about plants)
Source: countryliving.com
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