The annual floral extravaganza that is the RHS Flower Show returns to Tatton Park next week with a packed schedule for gardening fans. The event takes place across a huge outdoor site inside the beautiful surroundings of Cheshire 's 1,000 acre deer park.
The Royal Horticultural Society show opens on Wednesday, July 20 for RHS members, before opening fully to the public from July 21 - July 24. There will be the return of the stunning show gardens, floral marquees, back-to-back gardens and scores of retail stalls to provide gardeners with the ultimate inspiration across the showground.
Themes this year include "gardens of resilience" which designers have interpreted in a number of ways in the show gardens which will compete to win the prestigious gold RHS medals at the event. Reflecting the past two years of pandemic and lockdowns, it will include a "working from home" garden, a "Covid recovery garden" and the "Why Commute?" garden.
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Themes that will run throughout the show include greener gardening for all - encouraging sustainable solutions for the garden. The Pocket Planting feature promotes using the right plants in the right place with inspiration for common soil types and conditions found throughout the North West, whilst the RHS and BBC Local Radio Planet Friendly Gardens are full of ideas from water conservation to meadow planting.
Visitors will also be able to discover how to grow your own food with the ‘BBC Radio 2 and The One Show’s Sow, Grow and Show Garden’. The feature garden, designed by Gardeners’ World presenter Joe Swift, includes beds for vegetables and cut flowers along with a display area where harvested crops can be displayed.
The BBC and its gardening presenters will once again be filming across the flower show for its Gardeners' World Tatton specials during the week as well.
You can also see the best of the north west in the Summer Fruit and Veg Competition with over 70 classes including the heaviest gooseberry competition. Then you can learn how to turn your produce into delicious dishes at Taste of Tatton, with talks and demonstrations led by chef Mark Diacono.
There will also be lots to do for younger visitors, including botanical-inspired craft in the new Homestead area for 2022. Kids can join in with demonstrations, learn about soil and nocturnal insects while also having a go at seed sowing and upcycling in the garden. In this area schools from across the region will once again be bringing their own allotments to show off what they have been growing in their playgrounds.
The event will also boast a daily roster of gardening experts as well as mouth-watering demos from culinary pros to. Hear from the ‘Twitter king of big veg’ Gerald Stratford, be inspired by broadcaster Arit Anderson and see Manchester's acclaimed chef Adam Reid from The French cook up a storm.
What's the weather forecast?
We are about to head into a period of extreme heat from July 17-19, but current forecasts from the Met Office suggest that the weather will "break" on Tuesday evening (July 19) into the morning of Wednesday (July 20) for Knutsford. For the members-only day at the show on Wednesday it could therefore be a mixture of sunshine and thundery showers throughout the day, with highs of 20C.
Thursday (July 21) looks to be a drier day, with no rain currently in the forecast although not much sunshine either, with highs of 19C.
Friday (July 22) paints a similar picture of cloudy with occasional sunshine in the afternoon, and highs of 20C.
Saturday (July 23) promises more sunshine after lunch, with temperatures creeping up to 22C.
Sunday (July 24) the final day of the show could also be a day of mixed fortunes, with showers in the morning forecast, but sunshine likely later on, with highs of 23C in the sunshine.
How to get there
The RHS Flower Show Tatton Park returns to the showground on the country estate just outside of Knutsford. The main entrance for the show will be via the Rostherne entrance to the park, for sat nav the postcode recommended to use is WA16 6SG.
Tatton Park is signposted from Junction 7 of the M56 and Junction 19 of the M6.
If you are travelling via public transport, the Knutsford entrance to the park is around a half a mile walk from Knutsford Railway Station.
In addition to the normal ways to travel, the Flower Show is providing a free shuttle bus. You can pre-book the shuttle bus via this link . Buses will run throughout the day to and from Manchester Piccadilly via Altrincham and Stockport train stations, with the first bus departing Altrincham station at 9.30am and the last bus departing from Tatton Park at 5.30pm. The bus stop at Tatton Park is by the Mansion House entrance.
How to get tickets
RHS Flower Show Tatton Park opens on Wed 20 July to RHS members and to non-members from 21-24 July, tickets are available at the gates on the day, or online here. Tickets are priced from £30.85 for RHS members, and from £34.85 for non-members.
Tickets for children aged from 5 to 16 are priced at £8.85, while children under 5 go in free. The show is open 10am to 5pm from Wednesday to Sunday.
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