Press releases

Spring has sprung at the RHS London Flower Show

If the cold weather is slowing down your garden growth and you can’t wait for spring to emerge, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) London Flower Show, 11-12 April 2006, will be a flowering haven for you, with a riot of spring colour and a horticultural feast of tulips. To book tickets call 0845 612 1253.

The RHS holds seven seasonal flower shows a year in the heart of London, and the April show, the last of the RHS London Flower Shows until September, is themed around ‘Tulips from Around the World.’ It will bring together over 35 exhibitors, and hundreds of spring flowers including parrot, double, fringed, single and container grown tulips.

Guy Barter, Head of the RHS Advisory Service will be at the show to give advice on any gardening problems and has some tips on taking care of your tulips. Guy commented: “Most people associate tulips with Holland, but they were originally native to Turkey and have been cultivated in Europe since the 16th century. Once tulipmania hit the Dutch upper classes, bulb merchants were trading single bulbs for up to the equivalent of £4million in today’s money. This enthusiasm for tulips has led to the development of a huge number and variety of tulips, and these days there’s a tulip in every colour, as long as it’s not pure black!"

Tulips are relatively easy to care for, but there are a few tips that will help you make the most of them:

• Tulips are best planted in November and will flower in early spring.
• The general rule when planting bulbs, is to plant at a depth of about three times the height of the bulb and the same distance for spacing.
• Some tulips persist from year to year, particularly the smaller varieties, and so only need to be lifted when overcrowded.
• Larger varieties, however, do not always flower in their second year. If grown as spring bedding they may simply be discarded, but if they are retained, deadhead after flowering and dig up as the foliage yellows.

The RHS Daffodil and Tulip Committee is currently running a trial of small flowered tulips at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey and the Committee will be at the show with a selection of the trial varieties grown in pots so visitors to the show can get some hints on which tulips to pick.

As well as an array of tulips, there will be a huge number of other seasonal plants and flowers, including a bank of daffodils in the RHS Daffodil Competition, and displays from some of the UK’s best nurseries and societies, such as the Alpine Garden Society who will be creating a magnificent display of tulips, narcissus, primula and small flowering shrubs in their spring competition.

So, whether you’re a tulip-maniac or just want a splash of spring colour, there will be something to put a spring into the step of every visitor at the RHS London Flower Show.

Notes to Editors

For more information contact: Laura Tibbs in the RHS Press Office on 0870 350 1769 or email lauratibbs@rhs.org.uk

More information about all of the RHS flower shows can be found at www.rhs.org.uk/flowershows

The RHS has a limited number of tickets to the RHS London Flower Show, 11-12 April to give away. If you would like some tickets for a competition give-away in your publication, please contact Laura Tibbs.

RHS London Flower Shows are held seven times a year in autumn, winter and spring and are where some of the UK’s best specialist nurseries create stunning displays of seasonal plants, flowers, trees and shrubs.

The next RHS London Flower Show is 12-13 September.

Venue: RHS Horticultural Halls, Greycoat Street, SW1 (nearest tubes are St James Park and Victoria, 5 minutes)
Opening Times: 1st day 11am-7pm; 2nd day 10am-5pm
Ticket Prices: 1st day £5; 2nd day £3; RHS members FREE

To book tickets in advance, call 0845 6121 253

www.rhs.org.uk/pressoffice

The RHS is the UK’s leading gardening charity dedicated to advancing horticulture and promoting good gardening. RHS work includes providing expert advice and information, advancing horticulture, training the next generation of gardeners, helping school children learn about plants, and conducting research into plants, pests and environmental issues affecting gardeners.

An interest in gardening is all you need to enjoy being a member of the RHS. For more information visit www.rhs.org.uk or call 0845 130 4646.

Founded in 1804, the Royal Horticultural Society is Britain's largest gardening charity and is committed to being the leading organisation demonstrating excellence in horticulture and promoting gardening. Renowned for its outstanding gardens and inspirational flower shows, the RHS is a key source of advice and information for all gardeners. It encourages gardening through its publications, trials, lectures, education programmes and scientific research and is home to the Lindley Library, which contains the most comprehensive collection of horticultural books in the world.

Membership of the Royal Horticultural Society offers many exclusive benefits including a monthly copy of The Garden magazine; free entrance to RHS Gardens Wisley in Surrey, Rosemoor in Devon, Hyde Hall in Essex and Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire; free access to a further 88 beautiful gardens across Britain and 20 gardens in Belgium and France; access to seeds collected at RHS gardens; free gardening advice and privileged tickets to 18 RHS flower shows, including the Chelsea Flower Show, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park.

For further enquiries about membership of the RHS contact: Membership Department, Royal Horticultural Society, PO Box 313, London SW1P 2PE; 0845 130 4646 Monday - Friday 9.30am - 5pm or via the RHS website

For more information e-mail the Press Office or visit the online Press Office