RHS Hampton Court Palace Show set to celebrate summer

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The 2016 RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show (5th to 10th July) promises another great celebration of summer packed with stunning gardens and spectacular floral displays.

This year’s show is being sponsored by Viking Cruises and the 34 acre showground with its majestic backdrop of Hampton Court Palace will once again feature live demonstrations from top celebrity chefs and gardeners as well hosting the popular Festival of Roses Marquee. With an eclectic mix of Show Gardens aimed at inspiring gardeners of all abilities, 2016 will see a new category of City Gardens, aiming to demonstrate just how much urban dwellers can achieve, whatever the size of their plot.

The themed gardens will celebrate the 300th anniversary of 18th century landscape architect Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. Summer gardens return again in 2016 to charm visitors with their realistic sizes along with the popular Conceptual Gardens – celebrating their 10th anniversary – enabling designers to push the boundaries of design.

This year the Show will particularly appeal to younger gardeners as for the first time on 9th July, 2016, the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show is hosting a ‘Family Saturday’. Featuring additional children’s activities including seed sowing, a family trail, story time and a number of child orientated cookery classes. The RHS are always seeking ways to spark an interest in horticulture among the younger generations and these special events are sure to inspire young minds in all things horticultural.

The Floral Marquee and Plant Village will be bursting with floral exhibitors and specialist nurseries, displaying and selling plants from lilies, tulips and alliums to hardy exotics, bonsai and Japanese maples.

The Festival of Roses Marquee will be a feast for the senses as visitors are welcomed by the scent and sight of thousands of blooms within a cottage-garden setting inspired by Beatrix Potter’s garden at Hill Top House.

The annual Preview Evening opens the show, taking place on Monday 4th July (5-10.30pm) where visitors can spend time listening to live music with friends and family while viewing the gardens and floral displays before tucking into a picnic or a meal in one of the restaurants before the evening finishes with a fireworks display.

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Show manager, Dave Green comments that every year more exciting and interactive content is included to excite and inspire visitors: “Visitors will have the chance to experience the amazing gardens by walking through them and getting up close with the incredible designs,” he says.

“There is also a fantastic range of garden tools, sculptures, furniture and more on offer from our wonderful tradestands, as well as the best, newest, finest and most unusual and colourful blooms imaginable in our floral marquees. Just a short train journey from London, the show is a great day out for those looking to escape the city.”

The RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show is one of the highlights of the summer season and with the perfect backdrop of the majestic Hampton Court , the fantastic gardens and the variety of exhibits, it is one Flower Show you just don’t want to miss.

For further information and tickets log onto: www.rhs.org.uk/hamptoncourt

Picture Credits: Reproduced with kind permission of RHS – Banner top ©RHS Media Image Collection. Middle: Visitors admire floral show. ©RHS credit Bethany Clarke.