From 22 to 26 July the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Flower Show Tatton Park will return to Cheshire’s spectacular 1,000-acre deer park. Innovative and inspiring gardens will combine with edible exhibits, floral displays, and a variety of shopping opportunities to ensure the perfect summer day out.
Three zoned areas will unite to form the show this year, Grow, Inspire and Feast, highlights of which will include:
In Grow, the ever popular Back to Back Gardens will make a long-awaited return with clever designs ideal for small spaces. Alongside these will be the brand new Blooming Beds, featuring beautiful displays based on the adventures of plant hunters, as well as the much-loved RHS National Flower Bed Competition, bursting with colour and fun. Grow also encourages gardeners of all levels to enjoy the horticultural haven of the Plant Village and the RHS Floral Marquee, which will once again include the top growers and finest plants in the country.
Inspire acts as a fitting platform for the RHS Young Designer of the Year 2015, in which three young designers will be building their first Show Garden. Here, too, will be a variety of high-quality floristry, gardening and talks in the Floral Design Studio. The RHS Hub also features the much-loved Cheshire Gardens of Distinction, while the World Skills Landscaping Competition demonstrates the art of landscaping at its roots. The Inspire zone will also debut the Year of Light Garden, where the International Year of Light will be celebrated with an assortment of conceptual designs.
Taste buds at the ready: Feast is sure to engage the senses with live demonstrations and tips from some familiar faces in the Feast Theatre, along with creations in the Edible School Gardens and Great British Allotments, both of which present home gardening at its best. The Summer Fruit and Vegetable Pavilion and ‘Have a Go’ Allotment Plot will encourage visitors to get in on the action, while a new attraction Garden Hideaways will feature gorgeous custom-made sheds in which to relax and unwind.
On top of all this, the Carnival spirit will make a welcome return, bringing with it a Flowery Ferris Wheel, Colourful Carousel and vibrant Great Garden Carnival Parade. The ever-popular Ladies Day will also be hosted at the show on Friday 24 July, offering a range of rousing talks from inspiring women in horticulture and a botanically influenced fashion show. The Floral Marquee also acts as a magnet for local exhibitors, including beautiful displays of fuchsias from Bromac Nursery of Wrenbury, late-summer perennials and grasses from Bluebell Cottage Gardens in Warrington, and a range of oramental grasses in pots courtesy of K & S Nurseries, Nantwich. Knutsford’s own Fryer’s Roses will also show the best of its blooms, while the latest cut-flower blooms and sprays will be on display from Chrysanthemums Direct of Over Peover, together with many other talented exhibitors.
Picking up the Pieces sketch
Local talent will also be displaying their horticultural style with the return of the HMP And YOI Styal Wilmslow Show Garden. They have used the inspiration for ‘Picking Up the Pieces’ and their garden takes the form of a jigsaw. It urges anyone who has gone through a difficult period in their lives to reflect and realise that there is no situation that cannot be overcome. This is especially apt for the prisoners involved in the design of the garden, as it has inspired them to fulfil their potential and begin to ‘pick up the pieces’.
Warrington-based designer Alan Nugent has teamed up with Golden Gates Housing Trust and LiveWire CIC to create a Show Garden specifically designed for children with special needs, which aims both to stimulate and relax children while providing a sanctuary for parents. Intended as a sensory garden, ‘It Makes Sense’ uses vibrant colours and planting designed to attract wildlife and further excite the interest of children.
It Makes Sense 3D design
The RHS Flower Show Tatton Park will run from 22 to 26 July – for further information on the show, please visit: www.rhs.org.uk/tatton
