If you're a fan of traveling during the summer and love a dose of flower events and festivals, the RHS Hampton Court Place Garden Festival is one you must attend if you'll be in London during the first days of July. This year, anniversaries and international inspiration lead the garden lineup at the festival. These are all the details about the festival and why it's a great idea to pay a visit while you're in the city.
Hampton Court Palace Will Host Once Again One of the Biggest Flower Festivals
RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival celebrates anniversaries, international inspiration, and gardening for wildlife as the festival returns to the grounds of the historic Hampton Court Palace from 1-6 July 2025. Located in the Hampton Court Palace in London, this annual event attracts horticulturists, garden enthusiasts, and visitors worldwide.
Highlights of some of the best moments at the 2024 RHS Garden Festival.
Video by RHS
You're about to know everything about one of the biggest flower events in the industry, including the festival's dates, location, featured displays, and its significance as a premier event in the floral industry. Will you be attending this year?
Dates and Location of the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival
Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival typically takes place in early July, offering visitors a delightful summer experience. The festival spans several days, allowing ample time to explore the floral displays and participate in various activities. Set in the Court Palace, the festival combines regal splendor with the beauty of gardens, making it a very summer-worthy experience. Your favorite season combined with flowers? Nothing beats this combo.
Right: Hartley Botanic team at the 2024 event, photo by: @hartley_botanic
The festival shows distinctive gardens, each carefully worked on and created by experts to inspire and stun visitors. From show gardens created by renowned designers to innovative conceptual displays, it offers a world of horticultural wonders. Attendees can explore themed gardens, contemporary designs, urban landscapes, and sustainable gardening solutions, providing inspiration for their own outdoor spaces.
Photos and designs by: @t_and_m_gardendesign
Anniversaries and International Inspiration Lead the Garden Lineup
In honor of RHS Britain in Bloom's 61st anniversary as the largest community gardening competition in the UK, Jon and James Wheatley's Gardening for People and Planet honors Bloom's history as well as the advantages community gardening has for people's well-being and the environment.
Gardens of Wonder
With three judged garden categories, there’s garden design inspiration galore at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. The Show Gardens represent the best in horticultural excellence, while the Gardens of Curiosity allow designers to challenge their creativity with beautiful gardens that also provide plenty of take-home ideas.
This year, the Feature Gardens take their cue from the Festival theme of ‘Wonder’. Expect gardens of whimsy and delight – packed with plants and buzzing with wildlife.
Planting Pockets
The popular Planting Pockets return to the Festival, inviting new horticulturists to bring their first garden to an RHS Show. This mentored category offers the first opportunity for budding designers to start their Show Careers, including the opportunity to have their designs rated by RHS Judges, and this year focuses on city spaces.
With allotments, plant family borders by students at the London College of Garden Design, and exciting installations all around the show, there are lots of ideas and inspiration to be had. Remember to take a pen and paper, and lots of photos.
Plant Paradise
From the heady scent of the Festival of Roses to the stunning displays in the Floral Marquee, RHS Hampton Court is a plant lover's place to be. Last year’s visitors’ favorite, the Houseplant Market, returns, celebrating the wonders of indoor gardening. Why not sign up for one of their daily expert-led workshops and learn how to create your very own take-home terrarium? Floral displays bloom all around the ground, created by floral artists, for selfie opportunities, or just to provide a gorgeous background for your picnic.
Natalie Gearing, manager of RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, said:
“There is such a variety of ideas at the festival, from bringing gardening traditions of other countries to the classically British setting of Hampton Court Palace to celebrating anniversaries of beloved institutions through garden design. There will be inspiration to suit all styles, abilities, and garden sizes.”
Buy Your Favorite Plants and Flowers at the Festival
Alongside the gardens, visitors to the festival can also browse and buy plants and flowers from expert growers in the Floral Marquee and Festival of Roses. Experts are on hand with advice at the How To and Get Growing Festival Stages, and The RHS Allotment also returns with plots built by local community groups, as well as the Pocket Planting category with a new theme of ‘resilient’.
One thing is for sure — everyone who steps on the RHS Hampton Court this year will be able to give way to their senses in pleasant flower fragrances.
RHS Hampton Garden Festival - Soaked in Inspiration
Educational workshops and demonstrations form an integral part of the festival's program. Expert gardeners, landscapers, and horticulturalists share their knowledge, providing invaluable insights into various aspects of gardening and floral design. From workshops to insightful talks and demonstrations, everyone can enhance their gardening skills and gain inspiration for their projects.
Photos: @tommasseyuk
The RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival holds great significance within the floral industry. As one of the largest flower shows, it serves as a platform for both established and emerging talents to show their skills and creativity. The festival provides an opportunity for designers, landscapers, and horticulturalists to experiment with new ideas and get creative.
Photo: @alistergthorpe
The event also plays a crucial role in promoting environmental conservation. The festival inspires visitors to adopt eco-friendly approaches in their own gardens. The integration of sustainable design elements and the highlighting of wildlife-friendly gardening techniques contribute to raising awareness and encouraging responsible practices within the floral industry and among visitors.
Interested in attending? Head to the RHS website to get your tickets on time and enjoy this once-in-a-year experience!
