The Chelsea Flower Show - A Rambling, Rosy Review

By Joanne, with Ashley in tow (begrudgingly, but charming nonetheless)

The Chelsea Flower Show has always been a glittering star on my gardener’s bucket list — a place of petals and prestige, where trowels meet tiaras and blooms whisper secrets to the bees. For me, Joanne, it was a long-awaited day. For Ashley? Let’s just say he came for the trees and stayed for the snacks.

Shall we begin with the blooms and the brilliance?

The Posies (aka The Pros):

• An army of staff—smiling, helpful, and as spritely as spring lambs. Everything gleamed, even the compost bins (yes, compostable rubbish is properly catered for — nature gives a nod!).

• Signposts galore, and we had a lovely leafy stroll from our hotel in Chelsea.

• Covered areas for those inevitable British sprinkles — hooray for dry hair and drier spirits.

• An absolute abundance of things to see. Arrive early (it opens at 8am), and do bring a little plan. Your heart will want to wander, but your feet will thank you for focus.

• Trade stands brimming with charm, cleverness, and truly lovely humans who never once made us feel like we had to buy a single thing, even after all our (many!) questions.

• Seating aplenty — a true blessing, especially as I wasn’t feeling my best.

• Loos! Lots of them. Sparkling clean. Enough said.

• Food and drink? Every few steps, something tasty. From tea and cake to bubbly and bao buns.

• The Chelsea Pensioners were there, and yes, you can chat with them! Their stories are better than any garden display.

• A cloakroom (which we discovered after lugging our bits about all day, naturally).

• Discounts galore on same-day purchases — a nice surprise.

• Prices weren’t wildly inflated either. Refreshing!

• On the final day, many plants and displays are up for sale — you can even reserve your favourites ahead of time.

• Don’t forget to flutter into Chelsea itself — Chelsea in Bloom is a petalled spectacle not to be missed.

• Though busy, the show never felt cramped. There’s space to breathe, admire, and twirl if you fancy it.

• The bandstand! A delight. The Help for Heroes band had us swaying like daisies in the breeze.

• I felt very safe — even comfortable leaving my bag on my seat for a moment (something I rarely do). A peaceful sort of crowd.

Now, the Prickles (aka The Cons):

• Oh, the cost. If you’re not lucky enough to live in London, prepare for your purse to sigh: tickets, travel, hotel — we were £700 deep before the first sip of coffee.

• The map? Essential. The “guidebook” (£17!) was more of a glossy magazine with not quite enough… guidance.

• The show gardens — though exquisite — are roped off and hard to view in full. Honestly? You’ll get a better look from the TV coverage.

• Long queues to see the big gardens, and the lovely helpers were understandably run off their feet.

• Little signage about what plants are actually used — we found ourselves whispering, “Is that salvia or sage?” more than once.

• The garden presentations, while stunning, weren’t always designed with viewers in mind. The balcony gardens, for instance, were displayed at ground level — a bit of an odd choice.

• And again, money. Some items are wildly expensive — think £28,000 greenhouses, £5,000 garden benches, £2,000 sculptures. Beautiful, yes. Accessible? Not quite.

• That said, we did find some treasures: a mushroom growing kit for £23 and a darling little vase (complete with acorn!) For growing a tree (guess who bought that??) for £22 and bought lots of seeds

• There’s a definite lean toward polished, shop-bought pieces. I would have loved more about sustainability, creativity, and reimagining what you already have.

Petal-Perfect Highlights:

• Ashley’s tree-mad heart was content chatting with the kind folks at Frank P Matthews Tree Shop & Baugaarden Living Art. Both were incredibly generous with advice.

• David Austin Roses. Oh. My. Stars. The new King’s Rose took our breath away — and yes, I shall be planting one at home. You could walk through the roses, and the scent? Utter enchantment.

• Kadai Garden Cooking — my personal heaven. Outdoor fire bowls, bubbling pots, and endless chat about smoky herbs and ember-kissed vegetables. We asked each other just as many questions — a proper gardener’s exchange.

And in conclusion…

I’m so glad I went. It was everything I hoped for, and then some. But would I go again? Likely not. Watching from the sofa with a slice of lemon drizzle and Bella curled up beside me sounds just as lovely. And next time, I think I’ll spend the money on a fire pit, another tree… and perhaps another acorn vase.