New Show Information: RHS London Christmas Show

On the 17th and 18th of December, the Royal Horticultural Society will present a new addition to their calendar in the shape of the RHS London Christmas show.

It will bring together local, independent food growers, artisan craftsmen, specialist nurseries and an eclectic mix of festive flowers and plants to purchase.

The event, which will be held at RHS Lawrence Hall between 10am & 5pm, will also feature; free kids Christmas decoration workshops, reindeer parade, face painting, Christmas wreath workshops, live festive music and catering.

Even though this is the first festive event of its kind, it is expected that over 5,000 people will attend.

One such person is 72-year-old Victoria McBride, a horticultural enthusiast from Southampton.

‘‘I’ve been waiting for an event like this for quite some time. I’m really excited.’’ she said.

‘‘I have been attending RHS shows for the last 10 years, it’s given me a completely new lease of life.’’

‘‘I’ll be taking my grandchildren this time too, they’ll love it.’’

So far this year, the RHS have welcomed over 100,000 visitors to shows including; Chelsea, Cardiff, Blackheath, Lambeth, Knutsford and Marylebone.

According to Statista, more and more people are now interested in becoming ‘green fingered’, with the retail value of the home and garden market in the United Kingdom continuously rising over the last 6 years.

Market value of home and garden products in the United Kingdom from 2011 to 2016

Market value in million euros                                                         Year

38,410.7                                                                                          2011

38,253.6                                                                                          2012

38,828.1                                                                                          2013

39,709.5                                                                                          2014

40,536.3                                                                                          2015

41,749.1                                                                                          2016

53-year-old horticulture expert and garden shop owner Alan Barnes isn’t surprised by these statistics. He said;

‘‘This doesn’t surprise me at all, each and every year my profits rise significantly.’’

‘‘My shop sells everything from trowels and rakes to foliage and plants and we have to order double the amount each year. It’s great seeing people interested in gardening, especially the younger generation.’’

‘‘In my opinion, the RHS flower shows have helped an awful lot. Their promotion of gardening and horticulture throughout the UK has definitely had an impact on the market value of garden products.’’

So, as profits in the industry rise, Britain can only hope that horticulture continues to thrive – especially in the post-Brexit uncertainty surrounding our country.

As long as people continue to invest in flowers, gardening products and greenhouses, we can be safe in the knowledge that our industry will continue to bloom!

For more information on the London Christmas show, and to book tickets – click here.

• If you’re a green fingered enthusiast looking to get involved in gardening, the RHS website has some fantastic workshops and classes throughout the year. Click here for further information.

You can also join the RHS as a member and get exclusive access to shows and expert advice.

Featured Image Credit: rhs.org.uk