Features of the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival

Some of the innovative garden features, glorious plants and flowers that would have featured at Hampton Court in 2020

The RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary with a burst of colour, gardening inspiration and beautiful blooms against the backdrop of one of the UK’s most iconic palaces. This year's key theme is Gardening for Everyone, bringing together family, friends and communities, as well as reconnecting with green spaces and the outdoors. This theme follows on from a recent RHS survey that revealed 52% of people in Britain claim to have experienced feeling alone.

Running from 10 to 15 September, 2020, the festival, supported by Viking, offers the chance to relax by Hampton Court Palace’s famed Long Water with a picnic, get together with like-minded folk, enjoy expert talks in our theatres and admire a huge variety of plants.

Plus, there’s plenty of opportunity for shopping, whether you’re looking for something for the garden, home, or a gift to treat yourself.

Be inspired by the gardens

Top designers line up each year to present their show-stopping gardens to the world and 2020 will be no exception. Following on from their success in 2019, our Show, Lifestyle and Global Impact Gardens will be returning and provide visitors with exciting ideas to try at home.

The theme of gardens as places to connect with others is demonstrated in the Lifestyle Gardens category. The Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) returns with A Place to Meet Again, created in collaboration with its members and apprentices. Meanwhile, Amelia Bouquet designs a garden to meet friends, both old and new; The Communication Garden will feature fractured pathways symbolising changes in communication and conversation alongside a seating hub to listen, talk and share ideas.

In the Show Garden category keep an eye out for The Northern Roots Oldham Garden designed by Peter Donegan which highlights the pioneering Northern Roots project. It explores how we can utilise vital urban green spaces to provide benefits to local communities, both economically and socially.
 
Former RHS Young Designer of the Year Will Williams returns with Viking, the award-winning river and ocean cruise line which is supporting the festival for the fifth year. True to Viking’s Nordic roots and based on the Norwegian concept 'Friluftsliv' (pronounced 'free-loofts-liv' and translated as ‘open-air living), The Viking Friluftsliv Garden is a Scandinavian-inspired social space promoting a relaxing outdoor lifestyle.  It's complete with a kitchen, plunge pool, seating area and fire pit.

Wonder at stunning displays

No RHS Show would be complete without a whole host of beautiful blooms, and Hampton Court Palace has them in their thousands.

The first stop for plant lovers, the Floral Marquee, is packed with stunning displays and expert growers. In the Plant Village we are thrilled to welcome some of the best growers in the country.

Horticultural features

Our Iconic Horticultural Hero in 2020 is landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith, the designer who has created the Masterplan for RHS Garden Bridgewater. One of the most influential garden designers working today, Tom's style is defined by combining structured landscapes with natural and contemporary planting schemes.

The fashion for growing cut flowers in the garden continues to blossom. Reflecting this trend is a new feature RHS Cut Flower Garden, focusing on growing flowers for use in the home. In association with Sarah Raven and designed by Arthur Parkinson, the garden celebrates British flowers with inspirational combinations.

To dig or not to dig? For allotmenteers and produce growers the idea of growing quality food without digging seems too good to be true. Take a look at our garden feature that illustrates sustainable crop growing without chemicals or digging, designed by Charles Dowding and Stephanie Hafferty, devotees of no-dig gardening, who are teaming up with Pennard Plants.

Indulge in boutique shopping

There are shopping opportunities galore at the festival, selling everything from garden sculpture and handy tools to artisan food and luxury clothing. If you are a lover of fine foods come and enjoy a meal in one of the restaurants or sample some of the local and artisan foods on offer.

See highlights from the 2019 show

The show in pictures