Best in Show results reach horticultural heights at the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park (18 to 22 July)

This year’s RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park has proved a gardener’s delight with its innovative and exciting horticultural displays. And it is not just the visitors that have been wowed by the standards set at the show, with judges giving considerable praise to the creative and pioneering work on view.

The Anthony Nolan Trust will be swapping the bubbles in its Show garden for champagne bubbles as it celebrates not only an RHS Gold medal, but the coveted title, Best in Show.

The amazing fact about the ‘Bubble Garden’ is that it is the first time Heather Appleton has designed at a major RHS Flower Show, having secured her place after winning an open competition organised by the Trust. Furthermore the garden has been built entirely by a dedicated team of volunteers.

One of the central features of the garden, which is spherical in every sense, is the stunning silver chair, which was used in the VIP lounge at the Glastonbury festival only weeks ago and is on loan for the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park. This in itself is valued at over £8,000.

Bob Sweet, Head of Shows Development, comments, “This was an extremely ambitious project that reached a high scale of endeavour. Particularly highlighted by the judges was the good movement in the garden and excellent colour within the planting. They were also struck by the effect achieved by the bubbles, which beautifully bring the garden to life.”

Summers Gardens is a team with a fabulous record at Tatton, but that makes an RHS Gold medal and Best in Show title in the Back to Back gardens no less thrilling for designer Toby Hickish. This garden is as tranquil and natural as a garden could possibly be, with a cocooning arbour in which sits furniture lovingly made from old tree roots.

This year the show’s longest ever Floral Marquee at 225m, is filled with stunning displays from over 100 nurseries. Taking the hotly contested title for Most Creative Floral Marquee Exhibit and achieving RHS Gold medal standard, was Hampshire Carnivorous Plants for its recreation of a dell scene.

The RHS / Ball Colegrave National Flower Bed Competition creates a spectacle of colour down the centre of the showground. Amongst the crop of RHS Gold medal winning displays the Best Exhibit picked out by the judges is from Stoke City Council. This joyful display celebrates the passing of 90 years since Stoke-born Clarice Cliff produced her distinctive pottery designs and the bed aptly recreates the patterns and colours in bedding plants.

The RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park previews today (18 July) to RHS members, before opening to the public on Thursday 19 July. In addition to medal winning horticultural exhibits visitors will find lots of other things to do, see and buy, with over 500 exhibitors making up the show. You can take part in one of the many events featured in the RHS Talks Tent, enjoy a meal in one of a selection of lunch spots, or shop for plants, garden products, or gifts for the home.

To book tickets call 0870 842 2229 or visit www.rhs.org.uk/flowershows.