RHS Sandringham Flower Show is underway, running from 22nd to 26 July, at the royal estate in Norfolk. With show gardens, talks and lots of exciting one-off exhibits including long borders and upcycled containers, there is plenty to explore at RHS Sandringham.
One must-see garden is the RNIB Talking Books Garden by Paul Hervey-Brookes, celebrating the RNIB’s free Talking Books service for people with sight loss, which has won Best Show Garden and Best Construction Award (and a gold medal).
However, there's lots more to discover across the showground, so if you want to get a flavour of the event before you go, or you're not able to make the trip to Norfolk, take a look at the five trends coming out of RHS Sandringham this week.
Royals are getting involved
Unsurprisingly for the first RHS show hosted at a royal residence, there are plenty of nods to HM King Charles III and Queen Camilla. One of the most publicised elements of RHS Sandringham is the RHS Royal Legacy Garden, designed by Catherine MacDonald to celebrate the King's horticultural legacy, pioneering approach to environmental issues and championing skilled gardeners.
The King and Queen's florist, Shane Connnolly, is also creating a floral tablescape for the show, called A Royal Dinner in the Garden, which hints at the dinner table arrangements he has previously created at Sandringham, and uses only plants picked from the estate.
Read more:
- King Charles III to collaborate on a garden at RHS Sandringham
- Catherine MacDonald on designing gardens for The King
- Here are dozens of cool garden events to go to this year
HM King Charles III and Queen Camilla also chose and presented some awards at the show: The Queen’s Choice of Upcycled Containers (which went to The Pollinator Patch by Whissonsett and District Horticultural Society and Gardening Club) and The Queen's Special Award (The Queen Bee by Ingoldisthorpe Church of England Primary School).
There was also The King’s Biodiversity Award, which leads us on to the next trend...
Biodiversity is big
The importance of biodiversity in garden design is in focus at RHS Sandringham, as The Mindful Chef’s Gathering garden by Sophie Godber earned The King's Biodiversity Award, and a gold medal. Inspired by a traditional orchard, its naturalistic and edible planting emphasises the importance of creating habitats that support pollinators, birds and insects.
Visitors will also be able to spot plenty of other biodiverse planting schemes across the showground, particularly in the Grow Forward gardens, which showcase ways to improve landscapes and help mitigate against climate change.
Borders are in the spotlight
One thing you'll see at RHS Sandringham is a border competition, which isn't at a lot of the other shows. These problem-solving designs are created by horticultural students and aspiring garden designers and demonstrate wildlife-supporting schemes with a nod to Norfolk's landscape and the restorative aspect of green spaces.
These plots also give visitors a chance to get inspiration on border schemes in their own gardens.
Three long borders won a Gold medal, including Mattie O’Callaghan's Growing with Many Hands – which celebrates the work of gardeners with tools, coffee cups and seed packets ready to sow – and naturalistic meadow border The Habitat Garden by Jonathan Mitchell and Katy Haywood Smith.
The Tough as Old Boots Garden by Zac Willitts and James Horne has been named Best Long Border with a Gold medal, and aims to surprise people about what can grow in an urban setting.
Yellow roses are in
Anyone who went to RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year will already know that yellow roses are having a bit of a moment, with the yellow-tinged Sir David Beckham rose and the 'lemon-to-cream' Kate Moss rose both launched at the show.
At RHS Sandringham, presenter and gardener Rachel de Thame has unveiled a new vanilla-scented rose 'La Madeleine', bred for Bonne Maman by Peter Beales Roses to mark 21 years of the French cakes in the UK.
Rachel said, "This new rose is a gorgeous new classic for any garden; multi-blooming with layer upon layer of beautifully formed, delicate petals and a lovely evocative fragrance. It combines two of my favourite passions – roses and cake!"
Harkness Roses has also launched a yellow rose at the show; the 'Lemon Drizzle', to celebrate the centenary of the National Garden Scheme (NGS). For each one sold, £2.50 will help to fund some of the UK’s leading nursing and health charities.
Water-wise planting is on display
Some of the most timely award-winning show gardens at RHS Sandringham tackle the topic of water. The Gold-medal-winning Best Grow Forward Garden, The Rhythm of Rainwater by AP Design Studio, is inspired by the principles of sustainable water harvesting. It showcases how capturing rainwater can be a stylish design feature and mitigate shortages.
Visitors will spot seven aluminium dipping tanks for water storage, two of which are linked by a narrow rill, so water can move between them. Droplets also fall onto steel tongue drums, creating organic music.
Also in the Grow Forward Gardens category is Mindful Meadowlands by Constructing Minds with Nature, which demonstrates how to create a garden in an area at risk of flooding. The designers have used dead hedges as a sustainable water barrier and a curved boardwalk elevated above waterlogged ground.
Heading to RHS Sandringham? Don't miss these other award-winning gardens and exhibits:
- RNIB Talking Books Garden by Paul Hervey-Brookes (Gold medal winner, Best Show Garden, Best Construction Award)
- Roualeyn Fuchsias (Best Exhibit in the Floral Marquee)
- Peter Beales Roses (RHS Master Grower)
- Ian Limmer, Peter Beales Roses (RHS Award)
- A & J Plants (Best Exhibit in Plant Village)
Find out more about King Charles III collaborating on the garden at RHS Sandringham Flower Show.
