RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival is the new name, as of this year, for the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show.
As always, RHS Hampton Court enjoys a Thameside setting. Walking from the station to the show takes you past the Palace and lets you peep through golden gates into the restored Privy Garden. It is that historic grandeur combined with the background hum of 21st century traffic that give this, the RHS’s largest flower show, its special ambience.
Renamed as a Garden Festival rather than a Flower Show, it helps to differentiate Hampton Court from the Royal Horticultural Society’s other large London show at Chelsea. But more to the point it incorporates the different ethos and atmosphere. Not only is there room for the gardens themselves to spread out but it enables them to offer the opportunity to walk through.
That has always been the case, but it was very noticeable this year. I don’t remember a year when so many gardens were accessible, and it makes a huge difference to the visitors’ experience. Check out the gardens list below and you’ll see what I mean.
RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival – the Gardens List
FEATURE GARDENS
BBC Springwatch Garden
Beth Chatto The Drought Resistant Garden (walk through)
Edible Eden (walk through)
RHS Back to Nature Garden (walk through)
RHS Sanctuary Garden (walk through)
The Wild Garden (walk through at certain times)
GLOBAL IMPACT GARDENS
Believe in Tomorrow Garden (walk through)
On the Brink
The Forest Will See You Now (walk through)
LIFESTYLE GARDENS
Stop and Pause Garden
The Naturecraft Garden
Lower Barn Farm Outdoor Living Garden
The Urban Pollinator
SHOW GARDENS
A Place to Meet APL
Calm Amidst Chaos
Crest Nicholson Livewell Garden (walk through)
Smart Meter Garden (walk through)
Cancer Research UK Pledge Pathway to Progress (walk through)
The Dream of The Indianos
Thames Water Flourishing Future Garden (walk through)
The Therapeutic Garden
Viking Cruises Lagom Garden
Through Your Eyes (partial walk through)
Year of Green Action Garden (walk through)
And then there are the other ‘walk throughs’ –
Festival of Roses
Community Allotments
Schools competition – this year the children made a wildlife feature for the garden – we spotted a couple of Hampton Court Bug Palaces!
And of course, all the trade stands and two large marquees. Some of the exhibitors put on wonderful displays and they are judged as well as the ‘actual’ gardens
RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival – the Gardens
Not all of them in detail – the bits that especially stood out for us. There were lots of dark purple flowers, more planting in naturalistic styles. Themes were varied, but overall the message was about ‘doing something positive, even if it’s something small’. The ‘something’ being, we felt, two pronged. Firstly, research and support for Cancer and Mental Health issues.
Not all of them in detail – the bits that especially stood out for us. There were lots of dark purple flowers, more planting in naturalistic styles. Themes were varied, but overall the message was about ‘doing something positive, even if it’s something small’. The ‘something’ being, we felt, two pronged.
Gardens with a Health Awareness Theme
Firstly, research and support for illnesses and conditions that affect most of us; personally or through a family member. In particular, Cancer and Mental Health issues. The need for calm surroundings, for empathy, was beautifully described in the planting. And the subtle message that funding is required to provide these was still clear.
Cancer Research UK Pledge Pathway to Progress
The markers showing pledges through will giving guided one through curving paths and soft planting.
Through Your Eyes
A brilliant concept.
Gardens with an Environmental Message
Secondly, and, once you started to look around, primarily, the need to be putting practises into place to make us more resilient in the dealing with the effects of climate change. Not surprising, perhaps, when considering that 2019 is the Year of Green Action.
This was achieved with stark reminders as to the accumulated waste that is not going away and suggestions for how we could reduce our impact.
Thames Water Flourishing Future Garden
We were both fascinated with Thames Water’s prototype. Combining water butt topped with a planter, the main function is to collect and store the surge of water from a heavy rainfall. This is then trickled into the sewers, or able to slowly flow off hard landscaping of paved areas. And be soaked up by the surrounding soil and planting where these are present.
The gazebo with rainwater collection would be an elegant garden structure. And we loved walking through the sewer pipe – no need for us to duck!
Beth Chatto The Drought Resistant Garden
Homage was paid to the late and great Beth Chatto with this drought resistant garden. beautiful planting of course, but more importantly, resilient. The actual gardens are rarely or never watered once the plants are established.
RHS Back to Nature Garden
An expanded version of the garden at RHS Chelsea earlier this year, it certainly benefitted from the extra space. Or rather, children would as there were more dens for playing in! It was good to see that the same planting was used, and showed how gardens change over the course of the year. Some of this garden will be re-housed at RHS Wisley garden so you can enjoy it there.
RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival – a few more Photos…
After comparing the growth of vegetables in Edible Eden and Community Allotments, we really liked the BBC Springwatch garden. Or should that be gardens in the plural? The concept was of three linked gardens.
We loved some of the garden furniture on sale (and tried out various seats). Hankered after quite a few of the Salvias, Herbs and Lilies, but didn’t actually buy anything this year.
What we really wanted was to pay a second visit, as the Show is on over this weekend too. We don’t have the time to spare, but if you do, there are still some tickets available – we can highly recommend it, with children and dog (yes pet dogs are now allowed) or even just with a friend.
Flower Show Perspectives
If you’d like to view previous years at RHS Hampton Court Flower Show this eBook is a convenient and pleasant way to do so! Click here for RHS Hampton Court
And if you would like to talk with us about designing your own ‘Hampton Court garden’, please get in touch!
and there are a few more photos below…
Related Gardening articles you may enjoy from our Award Winning Blog
Hampton Court 2018 – RHS Largest Flower Show
Green Living Water and Watering
Bees Needs, National Pollinator Week and Your Garden
Compostable Packaging – Can You Compost it in the Garden?
RHS Hampton Court Flower Show 2017
