RHS Chelsea Flower Show is a popular event in the horticultural calendar, but with limited tickets it can be a tough one to actually attend! And with all the champagne and a member of the royal family present every year, sometimes it can seem a little bit on the stuffy side (and not just because of the giant marquee!)

But it’s actually a great place to see some of the most beautiful gardens by some of the worlds top designers and landscapers. If you haven’t got round to attending, but would love people to think that you have, we’ve got some super facts that will make you sound like a real Chelsea expert! 

Some super Chelsea facts:

  • Held at the Royal Hospital Chelsea since 1912.
  • There were 244 exhibitors at the very first show.
  • Grounds cover 11 acres (45,000m2).
  • The Great Pavilion is roughly 12,000m(about 500 London buses, and over 2 football pitches).
  • Show has been cancelled twice due to war. There was no show in 1917 or 1918 because of the First World War and during Second World War the grounds were used as an anti-aircraft site. The show reopened in 1947.
  • In 1988 a cap was put on the amount of visitors due to growing safety concerns. There is now a limit of 40,000 visitors per day, and 157,000 in total. (In the previous year the daily visitor amount was 90,000).
  • There are four award grades: Gold, Silver-gilt, Silver and Bronze.
  • Hillier Nurseries are the record holders for most Gold medals won, with 70 consecutive medals.
  • There are three firms who exhibited at the first show who can still be seen today: McBean’s Orchids, Blackmore & Langdon and Kelway Plants.
  • It is often a place to launch new flowers or bring back some old forgotten favourites.
  • It takes 800 people, 33 days from bare grass to finished article.

Big gardens to look out for in 2016

  • British Eccentrics Garden – Diarmuid Gavin and Harrods. This is a fun garden that celebrates British eccentricity, with moving parts and surprises throughout the day for those who visit. It will bring a welcome sense of levity to what can be a serious event.
  • Garden for Health, Happiness & Horticulture – Ann-Marie Powell, part of the RHS ‘Greening Grey Britain’ campaign. This garden hopes to show the healing quality of plants, and they have an important role to play in everyday life.
  • The Morgan Stanley Garden for Great Ormond Street – Chris Beardshaw and Morgan Stanley. This garden is to be relocated to the roof top of the hospital to provide a welcome sense of calm and relief to patients and visitors alike.
  • Modern Slavery Garden – Julia Sargeant. One of the most political gardens of Chelsea, and already in the headlines. This is a garden that represents the 13,000 slaves that are currently living in the UK. With black walls and a central oak tree representing hope, this is sure to make an impact.

Information was sourced from RHS , Telegraph and Guardian.