Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
Encyclopedia
The Hampton Court Palace Flower Show is the largest flower show in the world. The Show is held in early July, and run by the Royal Horticultural Society
at Hampton Court Palace
in southwest London. The show features show gardens, floral marquees and pavilions, talks and demonstrations. Erected on the north and south sides of the Long Water in Hampton Court Park, it is the second major national show after the Chelsea Flower Show
but has a different character, focusing more on environmental issues, growing your own and cookery, while also opportunities to buy a whole range of gardening accessories, plants and flowers.
, which found itself looking for ways of increasing revenue and attracting a larger audience. Similarly, Network Southeast
, one of the temporary aggregations thrown up by the pre-privatisation of British Rail, was looking for ways of making its rail services more profitable. Boyd's idea was that Network Southeast should sponsor a flower show at Hampton
Court, and provide the public transport to Hampton Court railway station
. At the time the RHS Shows Department was working on four new events for 1993, in Birmingham, Harrogate, Wembley, and Glasgow.
In November 1992 came the announcement that Network Southeast was withdrawing its support for the show. A flurry of negotiations took place: Boyd, having no title to the Show, had to join in competitive tendering by blind bid. Stephen Bennett outlined the benefits of RHS involvement: ‘We can reduce the costs hugely… Apart from saving publicity costs with our extensive media relations network, we have a colossal amount of equipment. We have around £1m worth of tentage and tons and tons of staging equipment. Try to hire that sort of stuff and it costs and arm and a leg.’ Historic Royal Palaces accepted the RHS bid on condition that it undertook to keep certain staff on the payroll, including Adrian Greenoak. The venture was a risky one, with four new shows already booked for 1993.
expansion before the infrastructure would be severely tested, and over the next few years a Heritage Marquee was set up for the NCCPG and its national collections – initially a rather quiet area, but increasing steadily in public interest; crafts pavilions, which under Adrian Boyd were the first sight to greet the visitor, were gradually moved to a less prominent position; there was room for a couple of dozen display gardens, plus a separate section, on the other side of the Long Water from the major part of the exhibition, for ten water gardens. In 1998 a Hampton Court garden was rebuilt at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability
. While Chelsea remained the most prestigious of the Society’s shows, Hampton Court was the largest, and readily marketed as such. Within a couple of years the investment in Hampton Court had been more than recouped.
Highlights for the 2011 Show included 'The World Vision' garden by FlemonsWarLandDesign which focused on children's vision in poorer countries. Conceptual garden 'Land Obscured' by Dan Lobb invited visitors to the underground garden to view it through a periscope to see it from a new perspective.
This year at Hampton a selection of gardens based on poems by well-known English poets was also introduced along side a stunning Rose marquee inspired by Alice in Wonderland.
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
at Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Greater London; it has not been inhabited by the British royal family since the 18th century. The palace is located south west of Charing Cross and upstream of Central London on the River Thames...
in southwest London. The show features show gardens, floral marquees and pavilions, talks and demonstrations. Erected on the north and south sides of the Long Water in Hampton Court Park, it is the second major national show after the Chelsea Flower Show
Chelsea Flower Show
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, formally known as the Great Spring Show, is a garden show held for five days in May by the Royal Horticultural Society in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in Chelsea, London...
but has a different character, focusing more on environmental issues, growing your own and cookery, while also opportunities to buy a whole range of gardening accessories, plants and flowers.
Show history - the beginnings
The Hampton Court Palace Flower Show was the brainchild of the management consultant Adrian Boyd, who saw an opportunity to connect two organisations facing times of uncertainty in a joint venture. The Department of the Environment had been dismembered in the 1980s, and one of the cuttings was Historic Royal PalacesHistoric Royal Palaces
Historic Royal Palaces is an independent charity created in 1998 to manage Britain's unoccupied royal palaces. These are:* The Tower of London* Hampton Court Palace* Kensington Palace - the state rooms only.* Banqueting House* Kew Palace...
, which found itself looking for ways of increasing revenue and attracting a larger audience. Similarly, Network Southeast
Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast was one of three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982. NSE principally operated commuter trains in the London area and inter-urban services in densely populated South East England, although the network reached as far west as Exeter...
, one of the temporary aggregations thrown up by the pre-privatisation of British Rail, was looking for ways of making its rail services more profitable. Boyd's idea was that Network Southeast should sponsor a flower show at Hampton
Court, and provide the public transport to Hampton Court railway station
Hampton Court railway station
Hampton Court railway station is a railway station in the Elmbridge district of Surrey, located in East Molesey by Hampton Court Bridge.The station also serves Hampton Court Palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, and for the purposes of fare charging it is included in Travelcard...
. At the time the RHS Shows Department was working on four new events for 1993, in Birmingham, Harrogate, Wembley, and Glasgow.
Early shows - 1990 to 1992
In July 1990 the first Hampton Court Palace Flower Show was held. An effort was made to attract people to the show with special trains being laid from Waterloo Station, and porters wore carnations in their hats to create a buzz around the show. Even though there was comparatively little trade support for the show, it drew in large crowds. Network Southeast was pleased, saying "70 per cent of the estimated 300,000 visitors used rail and that has paid for our sponsorship many times over". The RHS debated whether to offer to help with the show, especially when Chelsea reached full capacity. The organisers, after initial dismissal, indicated that they would welcome an RHS involvement from 1992, and RHS members were granted a reduced admission price at the 1991 show. Adrian Greenoak, the Show’s horticultural director, achieved a continuous improvement in the standards; the 1991 Show introduced a British Rose Festival, with the joint involvement of the Royal National Rose Society and the British Rose Growers’ Association.In November 1992 came the announcement that Network Southeast was withdrawing its support for the show. A flurry of negotiations took place: Boyd, having no title to the Show, had to join in competitive tendering by blind bid. Stephen Bennett outlined the benefits of RHS involvement: ‘We can reduce the costs hugely… Apart from saving publicity costs with our extensive media relations network, we have a colossal amount of equipment. We have around £1m worth of tentage and tons and tons of staging equipment. Try to hire that sort of stuff and it costs and arm and a leg.’ Historic Royal Palaces accepted the RHS bid on condition that it undertook to keep certain staff on the payroll, including Adrian Greenoak. The venture was a risky one, with four new shows already booked for 1993.
The RHS years - 1993 to present
The first RHS Hampton Court Show took place in 1993, with additional sponsorship from the Daily Mail. The Show was a considerable success, and the following year was declared to be the best outdoor public event of 1994. With a 25 acre (10 hectare) show ground, there was room for considerableexpansion before the infrastructure would be severely tested, and over the next few years a Heritage Marquee was set up for the NCCPG and its national collections – initially a rather quiet area, but increasing steadily in public interest; crafts pavilions, which under Adrian Boyd were the first sight to greet the visitor, were gradually moved to a less prominent position; there was room for a couple of dozen display gardens, plus a separate section, on the other side of the Long Water from the major part of the exhibition, for ten water gardens. In 1998 a Hampton Court garden was rebuilt at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability
Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability
The Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, in Putney in South West London, is an independent medical charity which undertakes research and provides specialist services to meet the needs of people with complex neurological disabilities resulting from damage to the brain or other parts of the nervous...
. While Chelsea remained the most prestigious of the Society’s shows, Hampton Court was the largest, and readily marketed as such. Within a couple of years the investment in Hampton Court had been more than recouped.
Highlights for the 2011 Show included 'The World Vision' garden by FlemonsWarLandDesign which focused on children's vision in poorer countries. Conceptual garden 'Land Obscured' by Dan Lobb invited visitors to the underground garden to view it through a periscope to see it from a new perspective.
This year at Hampton a selection of gardens based on poems by well-known English poets was also introduced along side a stunning Rose marquee inspired by Alice in Wonderland.
Show dates
- The 2007 show ran from 3–8 July.
- The 2008 show ran from 8–13 July.
- The 2009 show ran from 7–12 July.
- The 2010 show ran from 6–11 July.
- The 2011 show ran from 5-10 July.
- The 2012 show will run 3-8 July.
See also
- Royal Horticultural SocietyRoyal Horticultural SocietyThe Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
- Chelsea Flower ShowChelsea Flower ShowThe RHS Chelsea Flower Show, formally known as the Great Spring Show, is a garden show held for five days in May by the Royal Horticultural Society in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in Chelsea, London...
- Tatton Park Flower ShowTatton Park Flower ShowRHS Flower Show Tatton Park held at Tatton Park, near Knutsford, Cheshire first began in 1999 by the Royal Horticultural Society. The show houses the RHS National Flower Bed Competition, Young Designer of the Year Award and a wide range of inspirational show gardens, smaller 'Back to Back' gardens,...