Preparations Begin for RHS Chelsea Flower Show Amidst UK Garden Centre Sales Slump
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, organized by the Royal Horticultural Society, is set to take place in the grounds of the Royal Hospital in London. The five-day event, commencing next week, is regarded as a prominent feature in the gardening calendar, often referred to as the "Glastonbury festival of the gardening world."
This year, the event follows an unusually damp spring, which negatively impacted plant sales across the UK's 1,600 garden centres. The wettest April on record contributed to a slow start to the selling season, with garden centre sales only up by 2% compared to last year, yet still down by 11% from 2022.
Despite these challenges, the industry remains optimistic. David Denny, the director of research at the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), notes a recent uptick in sales due to improved weather and pent-up demand. The Chelsea Flower Show is expected to further stimulate interest in gardening.
The show will feature notable gardens, including The Bridgerton garden, an indoor garden designed by inmates of HMP East Sutton Park, and the Octavia Hill urban wildlife garden. This year’s event emphasizes environmental sustainability, with an environmental audit for all main show gardens and a new environmental innovation award.
High-profile attendees are anticipated, including members of the royal family and gardening experts such as Monty Don and Alan Titchmarsh. DJ Jo Whiley is set to host a late-night dancing event, and a networking jamboree will take place on the opening night.
Anticipated gardening trends include interest in plants beneficial to pollinators and urban gardening ideas, particularly for small spaces. Sarah Squire, chair of the Squires garden centre chain, expresses confidence, observing an increase in gardeners actively purchasing seeds and bulbs, despite the poor start to the year.
Guy Barter, chief horticulturist at the RHS, highlights the popularity of themes like woodland gardens and the creative use of edible plants in this year’s show designs. The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is expected to attract significant attention, bringing a hopeful boost to the gardening industry.