This year’s RHS Chatsworth Flower Show partnered by Wedgwood is just days away from throwing open the gates to a wonderful summer’s day out to captivate all of the senses.
From Wednesday, June 5, thousands of visitors are expected to flock to the magnificent 1,000 acre Chatsworth Estate as it is transformed into a gardener’s paradise with exciting new content including a mass planting of 6,000 Dahlia (Dalina Maxi) ‘Salinas Bicolor’, an impressive Power of Trees feature and a spectacular floral immersion experience.
Liz Patterson, RHS Chatsworth Flower Show Manager, said: “We have so many wonderful features for visitors to enjoy. We’re celebrating the senses of horticulture this year and we’re putting on a show overflowing with wonderful sights. The air will be filled with musical entertainment as well as the unique sound of a dawn chorus from our tree top canopy in our virtual reality treetop experience. The uplifting scent of tens of thousands of flowers and plants will be filling the air along with plenty of delicious places to enjoy a tasty bite to eat. Families will also be able to get their hands dirty to pot strawberry plants with our Master Grower Pennard Plants.
“We can’t wait for people to see our 13 stunning show gardens and our Floral Marquee will be absolutely bursting with more than 70 growers. We also have a fantastic line up of experts in the Potting Bench and Dig In theatres. There’s shopping galore and plenty of family-friendly workshops and great community and schools competitions. We’ve definitely got something for everyone to enjoy at our stunning show.”
Inspired by the resounding success of last year’s Cosmos display, a mass planting of thousands of pompom Dahlias will create a striking vision of pink and white. Designed to echo the iconic parterres of Chatsworth House, visitors will be able to walk amongst the blooms to fully enjoy the beauty of this vibrant summer flower.
Flowers will also take centre stage in a new immersive floral extravaganza. Housed within a covered scent filled walkway, the display will feature hundreds of varieties of flowers, creating a rainbow of colourful blooms which will climb walls, cascade from the ceiling and surround visitors in a fabulous celebration of uplifting flower power.
The important role trees play within our world will be explored in the new Power of Trees feature, showcasing some of the great ways trees enhance our lives as well as how to help look after them. Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, RSPB and Forestry Commission will showcase the vital and extensive role that trees have in our lives and will encourage people to plant them in a bid to help battle climate change. There’ll be a tree nursery, story telling, woodland crafts, carving, arborist talks, virtual reality experiences and even tree listening in this exciting new zone.
An undeniable highlight of the event will be the creativity displayed in the event’s many show gardens. One of which is inspired by the RHS founder, John Wedgwood in the Wedgwood Garden by horticulturalist and RHS Ambassador Jamie Butterworth. This colourful garden celebrates the power of horticulture and plants to connect people and unite communities.
Finding peace through gardening will also be brought to the fore through five new Mindfulness Gardens that champion wellbeing and mental health in their design, perfectly aligning with National Growing for Wellbeing Week.
An RHS Wildlife Garden will demonstrate how the UK’s 24 million gardens can be transformed into a network of nature reserves, encouraging once common garden visitors such as hedgehogs, house sparrows and starlings back through native and non-native planting.
And three BBC gardens designed by amateur gardeners and mentored by Lee Bestall, who won a local BBC radio competition will bring a flavour of Derbyshire, Sheffield and Stoke for crowds to enjoy.
Long Borders return with 15 designs, double last years number, packed full of high summer colour and perfect plant combination ideas to take home.
Inspiring the younger generation is also a focus with a Grow Sensory Planters competition showcasing children’s creativity with 40 upcycled planters filled with fun and imaginative planting that represent the five senses.
Local community groups will also compete to be crowned favourite in the Community Container Competition. Eight groups will battle it out to best demonstrate how to soothe the senses in small spaces.
Gardening fans will be spoilt for choice with almost 100 specialist nurseries on site, offering old favourites and brand new varieties being launched at the show. The floral marquee will bring a glorious riot of colour and scent for visitors to appreciate as they browse the wide variety on offer. The RHS Chatsworth Flower Show will run from 5 – 9 June.
Tickets to RHS Chatsworth Flower Show can be bought at rhs.org.uk/shows and on the gate too.
