It’s time for RHS Chelsea Flower Show from 21^st to 25^th May 2024.  It will be full of beautiful gardens, lots of ideas, tips and advice and plenty of shopping, as well as chances to eat and drink!

And if you can’t get there – don’t panic, the BBC is covering the show!

Coverage starts on Sunday 19^th May 2024 at 6:15 with “RHS Countdown to Chelsea”, taking a look at the show.  There’s a tour of the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea before it officially opens to the public.

 
There's lots to see, including the RHS Plant of the Year 2024

Sophie Raworth and Joe Swift are joined by guests such as Carol Klein, Rachel de Thame and Adam Frost to explore the show gardens.  There’s a tribute to Venice and a space to help support recovery from strokes.

Take a look at the Houseplants Studio to give you lots of ideas.

On Monday 20^th May, at 3:45pm, BBC2 covers the opening day.  James Wong has a beginner’s guide to buying and caring for houseplants. And at 8pm, Monty Don, Joe Swift, Carol Klein, Adam Frost, Rachel de Thame, Arit Anderson and Frances Tophill look into some of the stories behind the gardens on show – there are 35 of them!

The highlights of the garden design awards are presented on Tuesday, 21^st May at 8pm, whilst Wednesday’s 8pm show looks at how Chelsea is helping to reimagine urban living.   The week comes to a close with a look at a garden perfect for outdoor entertaining and plants that will survive very hot weather (Thursday) and reviewing the winning garden in the People’s Choice Award on Friday (both 8pm)

It's not too late to buy tickets – and don’t’ forget that there are other RHS Flower Shows during the year.  And remember, Members get reduced price tickets!

The themes in 2024 are aiming to show that great design and sustainability can go hand in hand, using water wisely, and the joy of gardens and how we can attract a younger and more diverse audience to gardening.

And Ask Monty and Joe is back – viewers can ask them questions, for instance on how to deal with troubles at the garden.  There are exclusive interviews with famous faces at the show who love gardening – and the annual visit by the Royal Family!  And news!   King Charles III has been announced as Patron of the RHS!  Liz Potter took a look at the King’s gardening ethos and green credentials here.

And there’s the first Pocket Garden Makeover Prize, which is a collaboration between The One Show and the RHS!  Great for anyone who has access to a balcony or small space outside. 

Find out more about the RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Visit the BBC2 here

Visit the RHS here

The RHS Flower Show  - Tatton Park  takes place from the 17th - 21st July 2024

It will be an amazing event, with lots to see and do and activities for all the family, from the younger members to older children and adults!

For instance, one of the feature gardens I'd love to see if I lived closer is the RHS Nocturnal Pollinator Experience and there's also the Empowerment Garden, a Terrace Garden, which has been co-designed by users of Petrus (people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness). 

Don't miss the Plant Village and Floral Marquee, where you can pick up lots of lovely top tips from expert growers.  There's the Flower School - find out how to create amazing displays - and the Summer Fruit and Veg Competition.  There's family fun and inspiring talks, too.  There's a list of exhibitors here

There's lots to see and do at RHS Tatton Park Flower Show!

There’s lots more information on the RHS website, as always. 

Why not give a gift membership or treat yourself to a membership of the RHS?  Apart from the benefits you will gain, it will help the RHS grow and nurture gardening for all ages.   Find out more about joining the RHS here

Do you remember those days when you went hunting for Easter eggs?  

Well, how about combining hunting for Easter eggs with a great day out?  

The RHS Gardens (Wisley in Surrey, Rosemoor in North Devon, Hyde Hall in Essex, Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire and Bridgewater in Salford) all have giant-sized egg hunts!

Harlow Carr's Easter Egg* hunts kicked off today, 23 March 2024 to 7th April, but the other RHS gardens start on 29th March 2024 and finish on the 14th April.  

After you've found all the eggs, you'll be rewarded with a free chocolatey treat from NOMO, and also you can get into the various activities such as storytelling, family friendly planting and arts and crafts workhops. 

The RHS says explorers of all ages can hunt the garden to find the eggs;  the artwork has been designed by local families and school children.

It's a great time of year to get outside and explore, with spring awakening and blossom coming out, so find out more from the RHS here.

*The RHS says that garden admission applies: free to RHS members and children under 5. Activities are included with garden admission (unless marked *).

English Heritage has announced that Walmer Castle opened the private Lord Warden’s apartment today.

The private apartment of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is opened to the public for the for the first time.   Queen Elizabath the Queen Mother was the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports from 1978 to 2002.  

It was a favourite seaside retreat of the beloved Queen Mother, who loved her annual summer trips there.   Flowers from the beautiful gardens were there in a vase to welcome her. 

The furnishings are evocative of an age past, and visitors can tour a selection of rooms in the apartment such as the sitting room, the dining room and the master bedroom.  The rooms were used by The Queen Mother and others and up to now, they’ve been locked away behind a secret door.

Private items that haven’t been seen for decades are redisplayed, together with art work and  a selection of paintings from a collection belonging to Sir Robert Menzies. 

The castle was built on the orders of King Henry VIII to defend English shores 
Find out all about it here

The apartment was separated into a private space in the 1960s to enable the emain part of the castle to stay open to the public, whilst the Lord Warden was residing there. 

The previous Lord Wardens include some very influential people in English history such as William Pitt the Younger, the Duke of Wellington (who died at the castle in 1852) and Winston Churchill. You can see an original pair of Wellington boots!  

The Lord Warden’s Apartment will stay open throughout 2024, say English Heritage.

There's lots more to see at Walmer Castle, including the Broadwalk Garden with its replanted herbaceous borders , The Queen Mother's Garden, who was gifted with it on her 95th birthday,  the Kitchen Garden (be inspired to grow your own, if you don't already), a Natural Play Garden for children, the Wellington Room where Wellington passed away, a second hand book shop and - of course - a cafe so that you can rest and dwell on what you've seen whilst enjoying a cup of something. 

Join English Heritage today!  Don't forget there's 15% off new Gift and Annual Memberships (direct debit only) until 31 December 2024 with the code EHAFF2024 and there's access to over 400 historic properties to enjoy and discover!