Why gardeners love to go to the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park …and a look forward to what’s on offer in 2006
Wednesday 19 – Sunday 23 July 2006
19 July reserved for RHS members
Ticket booking: 0870 906 3811 (public) or 0870 906 3810 (RHS members)
Opening hours:
Wednesday 19 – Saturday 22nd July 10am – 7pm
Sunday 23 July 10am – 5pm (sell off starts at 4pm)
Wednesday 19 – Saturday 22nd July 10am – 7pm
Sunday 23 July 10am – 5pm (sell off starts at 4pm)
2006 will be the eighth year that Tatton Park hosts the RHS Flower Show in its magnificent 1,000 acre estate, famous for its tree lined avenues and herds of red and fallow deer, two historic houses, a working farm and award winning gardens.
This year the show is getting a new look, as the RHS transforms the show ground into a new grid system to make room for more horticultural show pieces and show gardens. Two floral marquees will this year come together to form a double marquee and the RHS National Flower Bed competition supported by Ball Colegrave will move to a new high profile location running from the East towards the floral marquee.
More than 600 different exhibitors make up this huge event, which now spans more than 29 acres. Designers and nurseries have been working all year round to grow the plants and select only the finest ‘show standard’ specimens to bring to Tatton.
A firm fixture in the gardener’s diary, Tatton attracts visitors mainly from Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cumbria and the North East as well as Staffordshire, North Wales and its home county, Cheshire. Visitor numbers from further afield are increasing as gardeners are catching on to the show’s relaxed atmosphere and spacious surroundings. Those that go to Tatton have also shown themselves to be keen to learn; it has the biggest turn-out at the RHS Advisory stand than at any other RHS show.
National and international recognition for this, the third big RHS horticultural event of the season is growing, and is favoured by gardeners like Monty Don and Diarmuid Gavin, who last year put his BBC Garden School students to the test at the show.
In addition to the great RHS tradition of the show gardens, Tatton is home to more than 25 urban back to back gardens, which allow designers to demonstrate their creativity and planting skills on a realistic sized garden.
10 RHS Gold medals were awarded in the gardens categories at Tatton last year; proportionately higher than Golds awarded in the gardens at Chelsea and Hampton Court.
Three North West-based horticultural colleges – Myerscough, Reaseheath and the Welsh College of Horticulture are turning out some truly talented designers, floral artists and plant experts – many of whom can be seen for the first time at Tatton.
Local authority gardening is also celebrated in style at Tatton, as 26 local authorities, communities and colleges take up the challenge to grow and design a creative bed for the RHS National Flower Bed Competition. Not only does this showcase the best in civic horticulture from across the UK, it also creates a fun and exciting avenue of colourful bedding displays right across the show ground.
Gardening is not the only hobby to be satisfied with a trip to Tatton, there are also endless opportunities to shop, with more than 300 exhibitors selling products including handmade jewellery, luxury foods, and gifts and many unusual plants. Every conceivable gardening accessory is available from compost to conservatories and if you want a designer to work on your own garden, the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park is the place to organise it.
