Renowned for its famous Chelsea Flower Show, RHS knows a thing or two about putting on an unforgettable exhibition. And it just announced a new addition to its plant and flower-centric event roster. With already four returning yearly shows under its belt, the RHS Urban Show will be the organisation’s first to focus on indoor plants specifically.
Set to take place next year from the 18th to 24th April, RHS - also known as the Royal Horticultural Society - will take over Manchester’s Depot Mayfield, an industrial site in the heart of the city which used to house a former railway station and has been used as a contemporary event space since last year.
Unlike the Chelsea Flower Show or the Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, the new show will be focused exclusively on house plant ideas and how to grow and garden in city-based homes, both indoor and limited outdoor spaces like balconies, as the name suggests.
RHS Urban Show
The Urban Show was inspired by the organisation’s efforts to open up gardening to anyone and everyone. And the fact that 80% of the UK population reside in cities and urban areas. So they should be given the tools and knowledge to make the most of their growing space. Especially since they tend to lack readily available access to green spaces.
With 2024 tipped to be the year of tiny gardens, RHS couldn’t pick a better time to launch the Urban Show, targeting city dwellers with limited spaces which tend to be younger generations like millennials and Gen Z.
‘In recent years there’s been a real gardening boom and we believe more young people living in cities are now growing plants,’ says Helena Pettit, director of gardens and shows at RHS. ‘So we are so excited to be bringing a new RHS show dedicated to urban gardening to the centre of Manchester next year. The RHS Urban Show aims to bring gardening to a new audience and demonstrate that if you have plants you are a gardener.’
The event’s schedule promises a variety of activities including immersive plant installations, practical workshops, talks and a host of plant nurseries selling some of the best house plants ideal for small spaces. The show is also set to touch on the topics of interior design, art, sustainability and wellness in relation to growing and horticulture. So we can surely look forward to take away some of the best houseplants to boost well-being.
Tickets for the RHS Urban Show, and all of RHS’s events, will go on sale on the 21st September for RHS members and the 28th September for the general public at www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events.
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