Category Archives: Flower Shows

Last of the Summer Flower Shows 2022

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Think forest bathing entails frolicking around in the woods in the buff being anointed by waterfalls?

Well, it can.

But there are many other ways to enjoy this activity, as was shown in the Forest Bathing Garden display at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival earlier this month.

And some of our own became Gold Medalists! (pictured right)

Here’s a bit more about what went on:

Forest Bathing Garden

As we were saying, if you find being in forests brings out your inner nymph, you would’ve loved this. Forest bathing, traditionally practiced in Japan, is a restful activity allowing you to take in all the sights, sounds, feels and smells of nature. The aim with this experience was to encourage mindfulness in becoming fully aware of everything surrounding you. To be fully present with what is now.

The John King Brain Tumour Foundation Garden

This was an example of a hospital rooftop garden providing a much needed sanctuary for patients and staff to experience the calming effects of nature. This transformation of what would otherwise be unutilised, bare spaces also attracted wildlife which added to the harmony. A beautiful sculpture by Emma Rodgers and the blue and yellow colouring of the planters around it were a show of appreciation to the NHS. Even better is that this garden is now living on after the festival at the Atkinson Morley Wing at St George’s Hospital.

Connections Garden

This one was representative of Alzheimer’s Research UK, showing the impact a dementia diagnosis has on the family and friend’s. Across the front of the garden was a felled tree with saplings growing around it. The woodland entrance lead to a pathway surrounded with black, yarn-bombed synapse-like structures – conveying the confusion and disorientation of dementia – and out into a tranquil garden with Scotch thistles and giant scabious.

If you are sad you missed all this, you’ll want to get yourself to the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park.

Along with good food, music and cooking demonstrations as well as fun and earth-friendly activities for the young of age and at heart, here’s a little sample of what else to expect:

  • BBC Radio 2 and The One Show’s Sow, Grow and Show sporting a competition table with cut flowers and bizarre and beautiful vegetable varieties
  • The RHS and BBC North West Tonight Community Urban Garden of plants that take care of air pollution and raised beds for communal vegetable growing
  • Community Borders’ accessible planting schemes that encourage a diversity of wild-life
  • Greener Front Garden on how to transform a small, dull outdoor space into something inspiring and useful

 

There will also be The Practical Gardening Theatre where young gardeners will be encouraged to go green with helpful tips and of course plenty of flowers and plants to be inspired by in the Floral Marquee and Plant Village. As well as:

Come Lime With Me

Think “Come Dine with Me” but inspired by the designer’s Anglo-Guyanese ethnicity, this garden will show us how to “lime” - a Guyanese/Caribbean slang word for “the art of doing nothing while sharing food, drink, conversation and laughter”. Water will also be a key feature of this display depicting the concern around rising sea levels which is a serious threat to these coastal countries.

Literally Littoral

Speaking of water, this one features a water-wise “rain garden” and is made from recycled materials such as steel water tanks, scaffold boards, stone, gravel, grit and sand. A fine example of affordable, eco-friendly design that makes use of plants that are hardy along coastal areas and prevents flash flooding.

Could Car Less

Inspired by the Community garden project “Taking Root in Bootle” in 2021 by the Regenerus charity, this display shows innovative ways in which to ditch the car in favour of the more earth friendly bicycle for commuting. They will also demonstrate how to harvest rain water and practice dry-garden planting.

The Vitamin G Garden

And when it comes to the mental, physical and social benefits of gardening, well we all need a bit of 'vitamin G' in our lives. This garden will show different ways in which we can get our daily dose in spaces for contemplation, relaxation and restoration through art, plants, meditation, yoga and interacting with others.

Intrigued?

Get those tickets here.

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022 – A Sneak Peek

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The dress code at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show these days might feel a little casual for some – more jeans and t-shirts, less royal frocks and hats.

But there is still plenty of glamour to be enjoyed! Wafting around surrounded by blooms with a glass of Pimm’s or bubbly in hand sounds pretty glamorous to me! No matter how you’re dressed.

Or even undressed...

Remember our nude peony-ed model at the 2019 Chelsea Flower Show (pictured right)? We had such fun.

This year we are excited to be back in full bloom and having a ball exhibiting at the Floral Marquee at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022.

 

What We've Been Up To

With so many colours, shapes, scents and varieties to choose from, we can say that there certainly is a peony to suit every garden style and choice. Their delicate but blousy blooms enchant visitors to the show year after year and we want this year to be the most memorable peony exhibit yet.

It has been nearly two years since we have displayed peonies in their full glory at the RHS Chelsea so we are delighted to be back and full force, bringing back some fun after the difficult two years of the pandemic.

Our exhibit has been in the making for the last 18 months with a photoshoot taking place on the nursery last Spring.

As the largest exhibit we have ever undertaken, our team is hard at work growing over one thousand peonies for the display.

Send us all your growing vibes please!

 

What Will You See?

We are creating an experience where you'll find yourself immersed in the wondrous world of peonies and falling in love with them as much as we have, appreciating all of their unique and beautiful qualities.

We hope this will stoke your desire for having your own peonies growing in your garden, even if you have never grown them before.

In our dreamy display of peonies you will be able to see yourself having fun, like you did as a kid – playing in a whimsical forest surrounded by magical flowers.

The display will feature a large backdrop image from our ethereal photoshoot. At the centre of the exhibit will be a peony-covered swing, courtesy of Sitting Spiritually, allowing you to imagine yourself enjoying the tranquility of our ‘midsummer nights dream’, experiencing the serenity that gardens can provide while feeling more connected to nature. A beautifully sculpted Fairy by Robert James and all trees provided by Valley Plants. The intoxicating fragrance of the peonies will transport you to another world, allowing you to experience the wonder and versatility of peonies.

To really get the full experience you'll want to keep an eye out for our Photocall at the show – an opportunity for you to snap some pics of a beautiful Fairy Queen in our enchanted peony forest doing what fairy queens do.

Which is?

You'll have to come and see for yourself!

And that is just the tip of the petal of what’s in store for you at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year.

So come and see us! We look forward to seeing you there.

If you haven’t got your tickets yet, you better grab ‘em here...

RHS Chelsea Flower Show

in the buff in 2019...

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2021

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This year is the 99th year of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and it’s going to be an invigorating, inspiring and welcome distraction!

After this challenging period of time let's leave the stress behind us and immerse ourselves in the restorative powers of nature! In fact, the therapeutic value of having plants around is being celebrated at this years show.

Although we could still savour it virtually last year, we must admit, it wasn’t quite the same. We are ecstatic to be able to be with you all in person once again!

What will we be showing?

The show will take place from 21-26 September which is a change from the blooming season, but we thought this was a great opportunity for us to show that the beauty of peonies goes beyond the blooms. We'll be featuring Intersectionals which have wonderfully colourful autumn foliage and sharing information about breeding and propagation - the scientific reasons these plants are so special to us!

We will also be featuring our collaboration with award winning British Jewellery Designer Theo Fennell this year. We are thrilled to be working with an amazing British creative such as Theo Fennell on our Chelsea exhibit. This collaboration will bring peonies into a world they may not usually inhabit and that is very exciting. The focus on craftsmanship will highlight to the public the skill of master peony grower and master jeweller and highlight the synergy between the crafts.

”Our Gallery, workshop and studio have been based in Chelsea for 40 years and it is our spiritual home. The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is one of the great local, jolly events and a cornerstone of the London season. As a company we have used flowers as an inspiration for years and my wife’s favourites are Peonies….so when Primrose Hall Peonies, the best Peony growers in the Kingdom asked us to partner with them at the show, it seemed a perfect fit. We are very excited to be partnering with them, designing some Peony inspired jewels and showing it at RHS Chelsea flower show and much looking forward to it." - Theo Fennell

What else will you see?

The Chelsea Flower Show becomes a magnificent melting pot of horticultural specialists, florists, nurseries and designers to produce a giant explosion of creative expression! This is the place to see what’s trending in the gardening world with products such as gardening tools, sculptures and, of course, plants aplenty.

Some of the other displays to enjoy:

Guide Dog’s 90th Anniversary Garden - telling the story of when the first guide dogs were trained in the 1930s for blind war veterans and the wonderful work these creatures do, bringing liberation and connection to the blind.

Bodmin Jail: 60° East – A Garden Between Continents - a blend of European and Asian plants brought together by the landscapes of the Ural Mountain creates a refreshing and calming, atmospheric journey

Green Sky Pocket Garden - showing innovative use of smaller outdoor spaces, bringing nature back into the city.

Pop Street Garden – a colourful, pop and street art inspired space to hang out and have some post-lockdown fun!

Clearly, this show is not one to be missed. Even if it should rain, the show must go on! In fact one year when it was a thoroughly rainy show, one of the exhibitors dubbed it ‘The Chelsea Shower Flow’ (more odd facts here).

Due to covid safety precautions, the number of visitors will be less than in previous years so grab that ticket now!

Celebrate RHS Hampton with our special show deal! Save £10 on Peonies!

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Celebrate RHS Hampton with us!

Don't Miss Out On The Peonies That Would Have Been At The Show!
Today would have been Day 3 of the RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival. Thousands of gardeners and flower lovers would have descended on the show to chat to their favourite plant growers, taste new foods, purchase plants galore and visit all the show gardens for lots of new take home ideas. They would have even been able to listen to live music or watch potting bench demo's from gardening experts and familiar gardening faces, Sadly though, this year all of the flower shows have been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic meaning that thousands of plants are sitting on specialist nurseries all around the country waiting for new homes.
Primrose Hall Peonies would usually be treating the show visitors with a unique show deal for our peonies. So just because the show is not on, does not mean all the would be Hampton Court visitors should be missing out so from now until the 13th July we are offering the deal you would have seen at the show to everyone who visits the website.
For a limited time only we are offering all the would be Garden Festival visitors a special show deal £10 off all in-stock peony orders of £50 or over.
When checking out use code: HAMPTON10 *Valid until 13th July 2020*
We are also sharing past memories from the show. In 2019 the wonderful Jo Whiley visited Alec at the show and got his expert peony advice for viewers with peony questions at home. Check out the video to see Alec's answer to this common question about peonies.

RHS Malvern Spring Virtual Flower Show

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A Virtual Flower Show Extravaganza!

 

The team from Primrose Hall Peonies would have usually spent all week setting up for the RHS Malvern Spring Flower Show  - a riot of colourful peonies on display for a hoarde of keen gardeners to "ooooh and aaaaaah" at, but alas 2020 has been a very strange year for all of us. It was with heavy hearts that the RHS had to cancel flower shows up until August because of the world wide pandemic!

But very excitingly the Royal Horticultural Society has decided to create a virtual flower show event to run from the 7th May to the 10th May which is now live! Usual exhibitors will be running show plant special offers and doing nursery tours or some of the exhibitors will be sharing video's they have made for the show for the duration. The RHS Malvern virtual flower show will end on Sunday the 10th May. What a great way to spend a bank holiday weekend!

We are excited to be offering a special show deal on the wonderful Peony 'All That Jazz' which was a new launch at the Chelsea Flower Show last year and secured a place in the top 20 for The Plant Of They Year Competition which took place at the show. For the duration of the Virtual Malvern show we will be offering £10 off Paeonia 'All That Jazz' using the code: MalvernJazz 

Please enjoy the show and tell your friends.

Happy Peony Season!