It’s that time of year again, and no I don’t mean national biscuit day (29 May), Chelsea in Bloom is back.
You’ve probably heard of the iconic Chelsea Flower Show, but did you know Chelsea in Bloom is a completely free celebration of all things flowers along the well-heeled streets of Chelsea?
Organised by the Cadogan Estate in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society, the free festival features over 90 shops, restaurants, hotels and florists bedecking their facades in elaborate floral installations between 23-28 May. Each hopes to win the esteemed Best Floral Display award, judged by the public and a panel of experts.
To mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this year’s theme is “British Icons”, so you can expect floral corgis, a double decker bus made entirely of red roses and a whole host of fragrant crown jewels replicas lining the King’s Road, Duke of York Square, Pavillion Road and Sloane Street.
This year’s highlights include a Peter Rabbit-inspired wildflower display outside the Gladwell Brothers’ Chelsea outpost, Rabbit. They have partnered with local florists Maison Maioli to create a spectacular display of dried and preserved wildflowers that reflect their eco-minded ethos.
Head down to the Beaverbrook Town House hotel on Sloane Street for a spot of British history, with their blue, white and red floral spitfire display. As wartime Minister of Aircraft Production, Lord Beaverbrook trebled the production of Spitfires, enabling Britain to snatch victory from the jaws of certain defeat in the pivotal Battle of Britain.
Finish the day off at Mother Vine’s Alice in Wonderland display down Pavillion Road, alongside strings of bunting the wine merchants have created human-sized, floral sculptures of bottles of wine, with labels reading “Drink me” in homage to the potion that makes Alice shrink in Lewis Carrol’s much-loved book. But even more excitingly, Mother Vine will be offering free wine tasting of their Loire Valley wines for passers by on 24 May.
Throughout the week visitors will are also be able to join walking tours and take free rickshaw rides around the area, and even post their well-wishes to the Queen in post-boxes near Sloane Square.
So what are you waiting for? Wake up and smell roses (sorry) and head down to Chelsea before it’s too late.
Chelsea in Bloom, 23-28 May.
