The Show celebrated its 25th anniversary in style, with fabulous gardens, beautiful planting combinations and lots of gardening inspiration
Award-winning gardens
It was an incredible year for garden designs with all four categories producing designs of an exceptionally high standard. Last year’s Young Designer entrant Ollie Pike returned with a Show garden of his own and
This Garden Isn’t Finished Without You sponsored by The Methodist Church, scooped not only a Gold from the judges, but also Best in Show and the Environmental Innovation Award.
The new Career Changers category got off the an impressive start with its first three gardens. Chris Reynold’s
Safe Space Garden won over not only the RHS judges, but also the public taking home a Gold medal, Best in Show and People’s Choice Awards.
It was a Golden year for the Young Designers with both Ashleigh Aylett and Callum Corrie earning top honours from the judges. Aylett’s
The Woodland Trust: 49% Garden took Best in Show, while Corrie’s
Entertaining Meets Nature, won People’s Choice. In the ever-popular Terrace Gardens, Christine Leung took home Best in Show and Gold medal for her design
Glean.
Take-home design
RHS Flower Show Tatton Park has always provided visitors with practical, affordable and accessible inspiration and 2024 was no exception. The Terrace gardens served as templates for what is possibe in a small space. North West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee: Unpave the Way Show feature designed by Leon Davis gave two examples of how front gardens can be made more flood-proof. With one option for those designing from scratch and another for those adapting an existing space.
For planting combinations visitors needed to look no further than the glorious Long Borders. The 22 beds making a statement were designed to be viewed from all angles, which proves that you can make an impact, even in a small space.
Local heroes
RHS Tatton Park is deeply proud of its northern roots, and made sure to celebrate the communities and gardens of the area. The RHS gardens of the north,
RHS Bridgewater and
RHS Harlow Carr were represented in an exhibit of five beds – designed by Bolton-based Sharon Hockenhull and inspired by different areas found within the two gardens.
RHS Partner Gardens were also at the Show, highlighting just a couple of the nearby destinations in the scheme, with installations from
Bridgemere Show Gardens and
Bluebell Cottage Gardens. The
Tatton Park team brought another incredible creation to the show with their Emerald Garden – a selfie hot-spot with its enclosed throne surrounded by lush planting in tribute to children’s classic,
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Plant paradise
Central to every RHS flower show are the plants and the expertise of the growers who fill the showground with beautiful blooms. From the outstanding displays in the
Floral Marquee to the stands bursting with tempting varieties around the Plant Village.
The skills of floral artists were also given the chance to shine in the
Flower School, where the theme ‘Raise Awareness’ ignited the creativity of the florists and saw some incredibly striking and moving creations.
For horticultural expertise, visitors need look no further than the
talks timetables of the Main Stage and The Potting Shed, both of which had a crammed schedule of gardening gurus sharing their advice and tips on everything from growing fruit and veg to proagating houseplants.
Back in the Floral Marquee the
Master Grower title went to Robinson Seed and Plants, a family nursery specialising in giant veg. Their display celebrated their history and showed off their famous ‘Mammouth’ varieties.
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