Gardeners Delight in the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park

It may not have been the driest show on record, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of the thousands of visitors to the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park.

In excess of 80,000 people enjoyed a horticultural bonanza of gardens, floral displays and creative bedding schemes. Must-see flower beds included a dramatic Dragon Dance, the mischievous schoolboy Just William and the irresistible Wallace and Gromit, which brought a smile to the faces of each and every visitor, including creator Nick Park who made a special trip to the show.

A prize collection of RHS Gold medal winning gardens had the wow factor, but it was two big charity Show gardens that really made the headlines. The Princes Trust garden, ‘A Personal Journey’ achieving RHS Gold and the Anthony Nolan Trust topping this with the ultimate accolade of Best in Show for ‘The Bubble Garden’.

In the Floral Marquee it wasn’t just the quality of the displays that made a big impact, with 26 RHS Gold Medal winning exhibits, but the fact that for the first time all of the nurseries were housed under one gigantic 225 metre marquee.

Kris Hulewicz, the show manager, says, “The brilliance of the gardens, bedding and other displays this year demonstrate just how talented and creative our exhibitors are, especially as the weather conditions seemed to be sent to test them. This hasn’t gone unnoticed by our visitors whose feedback has been excellent, highlighting the quality and inspirational content of the show.”

One of the other reasons that Tatton is such a gardener’s delight is the extent of horticultural advice that is available. Each day the RHS Talks & Demonstrations Marquee welcomed a full house, with speakers including TV favourite Christine Walkden. The expertise of the RHS horticultural advisors was also put to the test, with more than 800 people seeking answers to their gardening questions each day of the show.