Rain won't stop play at Tatton

Exhibitors promise spectacular displays despite challenging growing conditions

It’s been a challenging summer weather-wise, but the nurseries and plantsmen preparing for the 2012 RHS Flower Show Tatton have managed to stay one step ahead of the challenging conditions and are promising some spectacular displays for visitors to the show.

Ursula Key-Davis, from Warwickshire-based Fibrex Nurseries, said: “This year has been a real juggling act – I’ve never seen anything like it. We’re picking the open flowers off our pelargoniums every day to stop the dropped petals and stamens from rotting the leaves before the show. We’d normally be able to tell to the day when the buds will come into bloom and look their absolute best, but with no sunshine everything has slowed down. It’s definitely a test for our green fingers, but the plants will look great for the show.”

However, the wet weather has been good news for some plants. The nursery also specialises in ferns, and Ursula said: “The ferns are having the time of their lives and looking absolutely beautiful. It’s the best season for ferns that I’ve seen in 30 years of growing them. I’d recommend anyone wanting a fern to plant one now, and it will love the weather and romp away.”

Some growers have literally had to stop their plants floating away, like Christine Ffoulkes Jones from Hall Farm Nursery in Shropshire: ‘Once again we are flooded, and have had chocolate cosmos plants floating out of the polytunnel, but we are busy lifting plants onto higher ground and up onto crates so that the plants can drain, and we’re looking forward to the show.’

The unusual weather conditions also mean that visitors may see some different plants, too, as Helen Bainbridge from Fir Trees Pelargonium Nursery, Cleveland, explained: ‘Having exhibited at RHS flower shows for 20 years, I know that no two years are ever the same. The rain has meant that we’ve had to adapt our planned display, but while some things aren’t quite as ready as they normally would be, others are looking fantastic and visitors will be able to see plants that we would never normally be able to bring to an RHS show.”

Show Manager for the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park, Kris Hulewicz, said: “The teams on site are making sure this is set to be a really fantastic show. What has been achieved over the past few weeks is truly staggering and the atmosphere here is wonderful. No one is going to let the rain dampen the great British spirit!’

Here are Kris’s must-see highlights at the show:
• See the beautiful blooms of some of the UK’s best nurseries and growers in the RHS Floral Marquee.
• Don’t miss the Urban Oasis garden, designed by celebrity gardener Chris Beardshaw with the RHS and Groundwork to encourage communities to get growing and revitalise unused, urban green space.
• Enjoy lunch or a cream tea in style with Fortnum & Mason, in the Taste of Fortnum marquee.
• If you visit on Wednesday 18 July, see the competitors in the international WorldSkills competition complete their garden in front of an audience of show visitors.
• On Thursday 19 July it’s Ladies’ Day, so dress for success and enjoy fashion shows and spectacular floristry demonstrations in the RHS Talks Theatre.
• See how local schools have been getting involved with the Jubilant Diamond Jubilee Container Competition, the Front to Front Gardens and the Vegetable Trug Competition.
• Enjoy the sight of perfect produce in the RHS Summer Fruit & Vegetable Competition Pavilion.
• And don’t forget your wellies and umbrella!