Summer set to sizzle at RHS Tatton Park

This year’s RHS Flower Show Tatton Park (17th to 21st July 2019) promises to be a celebration of all things big, bright and bug-filled with brand new features, elaborate planting and garden design innovation.

RHS Tatton is the North-West’s very own special show welcoming crowds who come to enjoy the popular Back-to-Back Gardens, the Show Gardens, the fantastic Floral Marquee and Plant Hub and the long established champion of youth in horticulture, the RHS Young Designer Competition.

Look out for ‘The Perfumer’s Garden‘ designed by Cheshire-based Charlie Adams, highlighting how urban spaces can be transformed by fragrant planting, and Matt Johnson’s antidote to the modern work, utilising every inch of space to show what’s possible in a limited outdoor area.

Visitors will also see the RHS Bridgewater Garden, designed by Leon Davis and Peter Gregory, inspired by the natural woodland and potential for play at the new RHS Garden Bridgewater, Salford.

‘The BBC North West Tonight Sunshine Garden – in Memory of Dianne Oxberry’ will showcase how even the smallest space can be bright and uplifting. Designed by Lee Burkhill otherwise known as ‘The Garden Ninja’, the garden works in synch with the weather and features prairie-style planting features, heleniums in egg yolk yellow to citrus orange and sunflowers and promises to be the perfect tribute to the lovely Dianne who tragically passed away earlier this year.

Four young designers go head-to-head in the RHS Young Designer competition, which has become synonymous with championing youth in horticulture and provides a platform for our budding young talent. Laurence Senior (25) from Yorkshire has created a classical garden inspired by Baroque and Tudor formal Design. Aidan Cifelli (24) has created a contemporary space – the ‘Caledonian Coastal Garden’, inspired by the beauty of a rugged, exposed landscape. Charlie Hartigan (28) from Worcester, has created a garden to raise awareness of endometriosis with a design offering a place of healing. Kristian Reay from Somerset, draws attention to plant health and the threat posed by pests and diseases like Xylella – ‘The Phytosanctuary Garden’ appears to be a beautiful space but look deeper and you see a more worrying story.

A popular regular at RHS Tatton is Cheshire-based Pip Probert (pictured above) who has designed the ‘Contemplation Corner’ a show garden offering a place to sit, relax and escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Simon Tetlow has designed ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar‘ – a reinvention of the urban front garden containing colours and forms inspired by the fictional classic, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Bug inspired School Garden designs and a host of special children’s activities in the Green Fields family area will also feature.

A field of over 5000 Dahlias will feature in five different varieties and the chance to get to grips with home turf at Mow Town with live demos and advice on achieving the lawn of your dreams is not to be missed.

Visitors are also invited to the new ‘Dig in‘ area featuring a cookery and gardening theatre, edible allotments, vintage tractors and a variety of herbs and edible plant displays to satisfy any grow-your-own guru. Widnes & District Horticultural Society will exhibit a different approach to growing edibles and North West Incredible Edible will demonstrate the diverse gardens created by community groups from across the North West. Garden Organic will showcase rare cultivars that have been saved from extinction by Garden Organic’s unique Heritage Seed Library. One such seed is ‘Blackdown Blue‘ a pea plant that a young soldier returning from the battle of the Somme introduced, after he brought a pocketful of seeds back with him.

Creepy-crawlies take over the huge Dome structure this year as The Bug Hub explores how some of our insect friends and foes interact in our gardens.

The Floral Marquee and Plant Hub will entice you to indulge in your favourite florals and there will be a record number of over 200 talks and workshops taking place across eight different locations with advice on everything from beer brewing to the secret language of plants and bees.

RHS Flower Show Tatton Park runs from 17th to 12st July. Tickets can be purchased at: www.rhs.org.uk/tatton  

Photo credits: all images ©Reckless Gardener with the exception of the Garden Organic picture above left.