RHS Journals
The Garden
July 2008
The Great Temple Show
In September the RHS renews an old acquaintance by holding its first event for 97 years at the Inner Temple in London. Phil Clayton tracks the Society’s early shows
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show Is Probably The Most Famous gardening event in the world, and is synonymous with the Royal Horticultural Society – it has been enjoyed by visitors for almost a century (2013 will mark its centenary). However, people often forget that the Society held flower shows long before the grounds of the Royal Hospital became home to the Great Spring Show (Chelsea’s official name).
This year the RHS is to stage an event at the Inner Temple in London, the venue previously home to the Great Spring Show. In September, what is being called a ‘Floral Celebration at the Inner Temple’ will, in addition to colourful floral displays, offer special insight into RHS flower shows of the past.
Early shows
The RHS first held flower shows at the Society’s garden in Chiswick from around 1833; before this date, so-called fêtes were staged. The first Great Spring Show held at the Society’s short-lived Kensington Garden took place in May 1862. This site had been chosen with flower shows in mind, due to problems such as transport links to Chiswick resulting in falling visitor numbers. However, by 1888, the Kensington garden had been abandoned, and, in what were challenging times for the Society, a bold and ambitious decision was made to move the spring show to the heart of London. The Temple Gardens, between Fleet Street and the Embankment, was the chosen venue. These gardens are said to date from the time of the Knights Templar – records exist from as early as 1307. By the 15th century the Temple became famous for roses – Shakespeare alludes to them in Henry VI Part 1 . In the 1860s they were known for displays of chrysanthemums.
The first Temple show in 1888 proved a success, despite last-minute planning (permission was only given five weeks before the show opened) and terrible weather (torrential rain and floods are not unique to Chelsea). The event lasted two days and floral exhibits were displayed in a pair of large marquees requisitioned from the old Kensington shows. Exhibits were staged both by amateurs and commercial firms; at the first show (and subsequent ones until 1900) even the Society’s President, Sir Trevor Lawrence, put some of his collection of orchids on display.
Exhibits of the day
In all, 24 Temple shows were held, the event steadily growing in size. By 1897 the original two tents had become five, and soon some exhibits were staged in the open air. There would be displays of bulbous plants from bulb merchants such as Barr and Sons of Covent Garden (later part of De Jager), fruit trees and roses from George Bunyard and displays of topiary from aptly named Cutbush and Son of Highgate. More familiar names also attended; among seedsmen were Dobbie and Co and Suttons and Sons. Kelway and Son of Langport displayed perennials, while visitors swooned at Waterers’ dazzling rhododendrons, plants so much in vogue at the time. Rose growers Cants of Colchester often attended, as did illustrious James Veitch and Son of Chelsea. In 1902, Blackmore and Langdon, still famous for delphiniums today, put on their first exhibit.
The Temple shows gained a reputation for the quality of the exhibits and for being rather different from flower shows of the time. Indeed, it was here that the first real show gardens began. This trend came from a craze for alpine and rock-garden plants. Initially these were displayed growing from small rockworks in the marquee, but, from 1893, rock gardens were constructed outdoors by famous nurseries such as Pulham and Son (of ‘Pulhamite’ fame), Backhouse of York, and later, Craven Nursery, owned by plant hunter Reginald Farrer. From these rocky installations came other gardens, in particular then-fashionable Japanese gardens, and also topiary gardens.
By the new century, the Temple show was the ‘Derby event’ of gardening, but there were signs the show was suffering due to its popularity. Issues such as overcrowding, poor ventilation in the tents, traffic and the vagaries of late spring weather were causing concern
In 1911 King George V and Queen Mary visited the show for what would be the last time. The following year the Great Spring Show at the Temple was cancelled due to the Royal International Horticultural Exhibition (also organised by the RHS) taking place in May in the grounds of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. The venue proved such a great success that in 1913 the spring show was transferred to Chelsea, where it has been held ever since.
As precursors to Chelsea, the Temple shows set in motion many features still loved by countless thousands of people. This September’s Floral Celebration at the Inner Temple will give today’s visitors an opportunity to experience a venue that, while new to most of us, is an old friend of RHS shows, and as such, a part of gardening history.
RHS Floral Celebration at the Inner Temple
11–13 September
Inner Temple Garden
London EC4Y 7HL
For tickets call 0870 906 3758 or book online
Tickets in advance: RHS members £7, non-members £8. Tickets on the day £10.
Phil Clayton is Features Editor for The Garden
< Back to The Garden contents page