> RHS CHATSWORTH FLOWER SHOW

Chatsworth Estate, Derbyshire
9th June 2017

RHS Chatsworth Flower Show - the NEW horticultural day-out. It's the show that promised to break gardening boundaries and blend tradition with the unexpected. We go take a look!

The weather was not kind to the first RHS Chatsworth... Unseasonal heavy rain and very strong winds played havoc with the set-up and the first few days... But luckily for us, our visit was bathed in sunshine and was only a little moist under foot. Much better than the washout 24 hours earlier! The stunning Chatsworth Estate provided a majestic backdrop for this brave new venture... But, was the UK ready for another large scale flower show? It seems that the answer was a resounding yes!... The crowds did eventually come out to brave the weather and it looks like this could be a permanent fixture in the horticultural lovers calender.

The IQ Quarry garden

The great conservatory - designed by inflate

The Wedgwood Garden

The wordless cupboard - inspired by 'the stones'

We love the way that this new RHS venture has set out deliberatly to ruffle the feathers of the establishment. Surreal, bonkers and downright daft, it was all here to enjoy. The quality of the show gardens was high, perhaps not up to Chelsea standards, but there was lots of attention to detail and the quality of build was top-notch. The selection of exhibitors and nursaries certainly kept Dave occupied, we left with exciting new plants for our garden and lots of creative inspiration. Who knows, a return visit to next years show may already be on the cards!

8 out of 10