Press releases

10 good reasons not to miss the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park

1. Room outside Not only will some of the designs be showing how the garden can become a real extension to the home, with designs entitled ‘The Home Worker’s Garden’, ‘The Office Garden’ and ‘The Function Room’, but visitors can also take a look at the range of luxury bespoke garden furniture and accessories on offer.

1. Colour collective Bright and breezy colours are taking over, with two top female garden designers opting for some eye-catching planting schemes. Phillippa Probert’s passionate ‘Crimson Crush’ garden will incorporate black and purple tones, while Penny Meadmore will use delicate pinks accompanied by soft feathery grasses.

1. Feeling hot, hot, hot Some guaranteed heat from Tatton this year, even if the sun doesn’t come out. A double floral marquee will feature chillies from Cookoo Box Nursery, while three gardens will feature fire pits, and one will even incorporate a clay oven!

1. Edible gardens You could eat your way around many of the gardens this year. Jacqui Brocklehurst’s ‘Eat My Garden’ back to back garden features organise produce such as sweetcorn, oats and broad beans and the NWDA’s show garden includes fruit trees, vegetable terraces and herb beds.

1. Global movement A ‘Fairtrade’ feature garden from Vale Royal Borough Council based on Costa Rica comes complete with a banana plantation and lush tropical planting. Visitors will be able to walk through a vibrant atmosphere of musicians, storytellers and market stalls displaying Fairtrade goods.

1. Victoriana is not just on the catwalk Be inspired by some 19th century style being used by many of the gardens, such as Charlesworth Design’s ‘Pteridomania’ (literally translated as ‘Mad for Ferns’), Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s ‘Naturally Victorian’ design and Clive Scott’s tribute to Tennyson’s ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’ poem.

1. Africa comes to Tatton Louise Ward and Lucy Hunter are creating an art deco style show garden inspired by the film ‘Out of Africa’, while Tatton Park’s very own back to back space, ‘Into Africa’, will represent Lord Egerton’s Legacy with an African school garden.

1. Tatton’s debutants There are more than 20 first time garden designers at the show this year, including Guy Petheram who used to be a solicitor, and former DJ Andrew Parsons, who is designing a ‘Rainy City Garden’ to suit the Manchester weather, firmly demonstrating the show’s reputation of showcasing exciting and innovative design to inspire visitors.

1. Cool for cats The West Kilbride Environmental Group is creating a special ‘cat friendly’ back to back garden complete with underground tunnels and shading foliage.

1. Celtic inspiration The natural landscapes of Ireland and Wales have also been inspiring. Dublin’s Ciaran Kirwan is using the flora, fauna and unique geology of County Wicklow as the basis for his design, while J N Davies Stonemasons’ ‘Tranquil Mountain Waters’ pays tribute to the beauty of Snowdonia.

Notes to Editors

For further information and/or images, please contact Erin or Catherine at Fido PR on 0161 274 3311 or e-mail erin@trustfido.co.uk / catherine@trustfido.co.uk, to arrange.

RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park
Wednesday 19 - Sunday 23 July 2006

19 July reserved for RHS members

Ticket booking: 0870 906 3811 (public) or 0870 906 3810 (RHS members) or visit www.rhs.org.uk/flowershows

Opening hours:
Wednesday 19 - Saturday 22 July: 10am - 7pm
Sunday 23 July: 10am - 5pm (sell off starts at 4pm)

• The RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park around 20 Show gardens and more than 30 back to back gardens in 2006. This year the show takes on a new grid system to allow even more room for gardens
• The RHS National Flower Bed Competition culminates at the show and features 23 local authorities and colleges showcasing the best in amenity planting
• More than 600 exhibitors feature at the show in a number of exciting areas, including a double Floral Marquee, the Floral Art Design Studio, the National Plant Societies Marquee and the Art and Garden Design Pavilion
• Enjoy VIP treatment with friends or clients at the show by booking into the restaurant or even a private area while you soak up the atmosphere of the show. Prices start at £149. To book call 0870 421 4868
• Treat yourself or a loved one to a Ticket and Picnic Gift Box: priced from £95, each gift box includes a pair of tickets for the flower show and a luxury food and drink hamper to enjoy while at the event. To book call 0870 247 1211.

Don’t forget you can now find out more about the show and buy your tickets for the RHS Tatton Flower Show online at www.rhs.org.uk/flowershows

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