England is world-famous for its glorious gardens and every year numerous flower shows take place which showcase the best of British horticulture. As well as being a magnet for garden lovers and plant experts, the shows offer a great day out for all the family in some of England’s most splendid settings. Here are our recommendations for six fabulous flower shows that should not be missed!

RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival © RHS / Tim Sandall

Harrogate Spring Flower Show (25 – 28 April 2024)

As the first major event in England’s gardening calendar, Harrogate Spring Flower Show at the Great Yorkshire Showground welcomes the new growing season each year with a spectacular celebration of horticulture.

Photo courtesy of North of England Horticultural Society

As well as the country’s biggest exhibition by florists and flower arrangers in the incredible Floral Art Pavilion, the event features the Grand Floral Hall, with stunning seasonal plants from the UK’s best growers; show gardens created by professional gardeners, landscapers and horticultural organisations; a creative borders competition for the perfect plant scheme, and inspiring gardens from community organisations across the north of England.

Photo courtesy of North of England Horticultural Society

In addition, this prestigious event includes dozens of talks and demonstrations, live music, a gardening advice bureau, plenty of opportunity for home and gift shopping and lots of tempting food and drink!

Photo courtesy of North of England Horticultural Society

RHS Malvern Spring Festival (9 – 12 May 2024)

The RHS Malvern Spring Festival is a four-day gardening extravaganza held at the Three Counties Showground in Worcestershire. Launching the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) show season, this year’s event is set to be bigger and better than ever, with a whole host of new themed zones, theatres, immersive experiences and interactive demonstrations.

RHS Malvern Spring Festival © RHS / Neil Hepworth

The RHS is the UK’s leading gardening charity and their annual event in Malvern features an unmissable line up of Britain’s best known expert horticulturalists and TV gardening personalities, the crowning of the very first RHS award-winning gardens of the year, plus a showcase of new talent and the latest in horticultural trend and innovation.

RHS Malvern Spring Festival © RHS / Neil Hepworth

The theme for 2024’s festival is ‘Gardening for Change’, which refers to the positive impact horticulture has on places, people and wellbeing, and the spring event seeks to inspire a new wave of green-fingered individuals, to equip visitors with knowledge of resilient gardening techniques, and to celebrate gardening and community.

RHS Chelsea Flower Show (21 – 25 May 2024)

The world's greatest flower show, RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London offers cutting-edge garden design, fabulous floral displays and the best shopping for garden lovers. Held in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London since 1912, the show is a favourite of the British royal family.

Chelsea Pensioner at Chelsea Flower Show © RHS / Matt Pereira

As well as the famous Show Gardens, the Sanctuary and Feature Gardens explore themes through horticulture, while the All About Plants area focuses on planting. For smaller spaces, the Balcony and Container Gardens provide inspiration for urban gardeners, and for plant lovers there’s the opportunity to get lost in the magnificent Floral Marquee.

Queen Camilla at Chelsea Flower Show © RHS / Oliver Dixon

For many visitors, RHS Chelsea is an opportunity to relax and enjoy the surroundings with friends and every year there is a first-class programme of entertainment with lots of places to enjoy delicious food and drink. Or why not head to the Chelsea late event in Ranelagh Gardens on the Friday, for a magical evening of DJ-hosted music, dancing, gardens and food? There really is something for everyone!

Chelsea Flower Show © RHS / Sarah Cuttle

RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival (2 – 7 July 2024)

A summer celebration of gorgeous gardens and fabulous flowers, the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, held in the grounds of one of England’s best-loved palaces, is not to be missed by garden lovers!

RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival © RHS / Sarah Cuttle

Since it began in 1993, the festival has gone on to become the world’s largest flower show. It enjoys a welcoming laid-back feel for gardeners of all levels of experience – or indeed no experience at all – with musicians and street food bringing a fun summer atmosphere to the palace’s historic grounds.

The historic grounds of Hampton Court Palace © RHS / Sarah Cuttle

An average of 130,000 people attend the show every year and visitors can immerse themselves in the inspiration provided by the Show Gardens, the Festival of Roses and the Floral Marquee, as well as enjoying champagne on the banks of Long Water. The jaw-dropping Floral Marquee is bigger than a soccer pitch, and more flowers are sold per square mile at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival than anywhere else in the UK!

RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival © RHS / Neil Hepworth

RHS Flower Show Tatton Park (17 – 21 July 2024)

The ever-popular RHS Flower Show Tatton Park, the north of England’s biggest flower show, is held in the delightful grounds of National Trust Tatton Park in Cheshire.

RHS Flower Show Tatton Park © RHS / Tim Sandall

A special day out for all the family, RHS Flower Show Tatton Park offers unique gardens, inspiring talks and tips, children’s activities, floral installations, markets, stalls and lots of tasty food and drink to enjoy. For a real treat, why not enjoy lunch in the sunshine with a luxury hamper from Fortnum & Mason?

RHS Flower Show Tatton Park © RHS / Tim Sandall

Celebrating the best of North West England’s horticultural talent, one of the highlights of the show is the RHS Young Designer of the Year competition, which sees up and coming designers showcasing their skills. The show also features the fascinating RHS National Flower Bed Competition, which highlights the country’s most impressive public planting schemes.

RHS Flower Show Tatton Park © RHS / Tim Sandall

Shrewsbury Flower Show (9 – 10 August 2024)

England’s main summer flower show season draws to a close with Shrewsbury Flower Show – the world’s longest running flower show according to the Guinness Book of Records – which dates back to 1857!

The two-day show in the county town of Shropshire, in the English Midlands, is one of the UK’s premier flower show events and features show gardens, floral displays in huge marquees, top exhibitors from all over the UK, horticultural competitions and celebrity gardeners.

In addition, there is spectacular entertainment for all the family in the outdoor arena, talks and presentations in the lecture marquee, numerous craft and food stalls, children’s entertainment and live music. Each day ends with a massed band finale and a magnificent firework display.

If you or your group would like to enjoy a visit to one or more of England’s fabulous flower shows as part of a tailor-made tour, or on one of our dedicated Garden Tours, please do contact our friendly team today. We can take care of all the arrangements from the minute you step off the plane!