From designing a Planting Pocket or a School Bug Barrel, to becoming one of the Festival volunteers, find out how you can take part
The heart of the RHS Flower Shows is the local area and communities in which they are set. Shows are a collaboration between the RHS, growers, designers, trades and the people who live, work and garden in the region. There are plenty of ways you can take part in an RHS Show, as an individual, a business or part of a community group.
Design a Planting Pocket
The Pocket Planting category is a mentored category open to garden designers, community groups, charities and keen gardeners, both professional and amateur. The Pocket Planting category presents a fantastic opportunity to gain experience designing to a brief and staging an exhibit at an RHS Show on an achievable scale.
Application deadline: 17 January
Enter a School Bug Barrel
To achieve our biodiversity mission, children (up to 16 years) from schools, youth and community groups are invited to design and plant an upcycled oil drum, to be displayed at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2025. The theme for this year is
Wonderland, a place that is full of exciting, interesting and wonderful things. We are looking for entries that are playful, creative and stimulate curiosity.
Volunteering
There are lots of roles for volunteers at our Flower Shows, from helping visitors find their way around the ground, to encouraging RHS membership and working in our retail hubs. Not only do you get to see behind-the-scenes of the Festival, volunteering can be very rewarding. It’s a great way to meet new people, help others and put your love of gardening to good use.
“My highlight of volunteering at the Shows is feeling that I’m making a worthwhile contribution, enhancing people’s experience of the show, extending their horticultural knowledge and making the most of their day out.” – Show Volunteer
Recruitment for the 2025 RHS Show volunteers will begin towards the end of the year, before you apply it’s worth considering the following.
- Are you open to learning about the RHS and being an ambassador for our organisation?
- Are you able to fulfil the time commitment that is required for the role, including attending the dates for the recruitment day relevant to your Show?
- Are you happy to travel to the Show location?
- Will you be happy to spend long periods of time outdoors and on the go?
Find out more about volunteering at an RHS Show.
Take a stand
Local businesses are welcome to come to the Show with a tradestand and be part of the buzzing shopping experience at an RHS Show. Meet your customers and make new connections. It’s not just plants – there are also vibrant food and lifestyle marketplaces, with a range of stand types and sizes available.
There are also lots of opportunities to sponsor a Garden or other content around the Festival. Get in touch with our team to talk about what opportunities there are for local businesses to be part of RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.
Find out more about tradestands
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