RHS Chelsea 2025

[LIZS]

Is anyone going or could share tips from past years? Is it horribly crowded, what about food options(not looking for expensive sit down meals), can you actually see the show gardens or are there massive queues, what is best route to see the most on site. Dh bought me tickets for Christmas and never been before. TIA

If you can get there early then do. We went last year and were there for 8 am as soon as it opened and got really good look at the show gardens. They were heaving at mid day. But then a little quieter late in the day (but this might have been down to the weather as it hissed down!).

There are various eating places - they are busy. I would suggest to go early or late than regular meal times!

Take a picnic if you can, the queues for food are massive around meal times.

It’s absolutely thronged by mid morning so the show gardens can be a bit “shuffle past”. Early and straight to the show garden before all the crowds would be my advice, then the marquees after that.

Ticket is afternoon entry, so 8am not an option. What time does it start to get less busy? Do they id check the tickets?

It will be extremely busy. I'm not going this year but have been about 15 times on the Tuesday. It'll be very crowded everywhere especially around the show gardens, you'll have to wait and move in to get to the front and will have to do that a couple of times on each garden to be able to see all around it. If a presenter is doing a piece in the garden there will be even more people. The first time I went I was surprised that you're not able to go into the show gardens, only see them from the edge.
It also surprised me that unlike other shows there are no plants for sale.
The floral pavilion will also be absolutely crammed and hot but it's incredible.
Food is very expensive and lots of queuing, better to take a picnic. You might be lucky and get a seat to eat it on but most times I've had to sit on a wall or bit of grass to eat it, take a mat or something to sit on.
Despite the crowds it's an absolutely fantastic show, if you want the pinnacle of plant and design perfection Chelsea is the place to see it.
It's also fun people watching. There's a real contrast between those dressed for a long day with sensible clothes and footwear and the many people there for whom it's mainly a social occasion.

I'm going for the first time, I'm so excited but dreading the crowds. Is it much quieter later on? I cant make it down until at least lunchtime. I'm in 2 minds what to wear because it's tending to be hot in the day but freezing later - are the majority smart and dressed up or more casual?

I usually leave around 6 and it's still rammed then, I don't know if the crowds lessen in the couple of hours after that but from the TV coverage it looks like it's still very busy.
There's a total mix of clothing, it won't matter in the slightest so just wear whatever you like, you won't feel out of place.

Does it close at 8, so the public has to leave then? The tv show is going out after hours but in the past there seem plenty still there.

Closes at 8 in the week, closes at 5:30 on the Saturday I think. There is a Friday Late Night thing, but I think that’s a different ticket.

Selling off plants starts on Saturday at 4ish.

The crowds drop a bit when the coach parties leave, which is usually between 5 and 6ish.

I go most years on the Tuesday. Wear comfy shoes and clothes, take a picnic and a water bottle (provision of water points and loos is generally good). Also take a couple of carrier bags - if it rains you can sit on them and they take no space folded up. A power pack for the phone is useful if you plan to take lots of photos.

There are stands selling food of various types, generally at reasonable price points if you prefer to buy there. We tend to take some picnic food but always end up buying chips as well 😊 In particular if you look on the map for the band area that is where the bulk of the “street food” type kiosks will be found as well as picnic tables, chairs and ground space to sit.

It does get crowded but it ebbs and flows. There is an initial crush around the big show gardens but it eases off later in the morning, bulges again as the afternoon crew arrive but if its busy when you arrive wander around and return to them an hour later. There is tons to see from amazing show gardens and small gardens to the frankly bizarre end of garden ornamentation (and in recent years, gobsmackingly expensive garden ovens).

If you are arriving at Sloane Square station, just follow the crowds with comfy shoes and rucksacks. There will also be signs to the event, its easy to find. I once arrived by river bus and that was well signposted as well so I assume they have other common arrival points covered.

I got a ticket for Christmas a few years ago. My advice would be to get there at the moment the gates open in the morning, buy a programme and go and have a quick coffee. Study the programme while you are drinking it and then go and look at the show gardens first.

If you do it that way round, not only do you not have to queue for a coffee, you get to see the show gardens while everyone is wandering around aimlessly wondering where to start. It will still be busy, but at least the crowd round the show gardens won't be six deep.

Reporting back to say we had a lovely time. They let us in a little earlier than 3:30, we did the balcony and small gardens first then round to the show gardens on Main Avenue by which time it was getting less busy. as per advice it was just a case of a bit of patience for others in front to move away. Crowds thinned out by around 5:30 and the Pavilion was pretty empty for last hour or so. Very helpful RHS man giving advice. No queues for refreshments or toilets either!

Sounds lovely. I've really been enjoying watching it on TV this week. Did you see the new David Austin Kings Rose and the Japanese garden?

I went on Tuesday and the Japanese Tea Garden was stunning - the detail was incredible from wherever you looked. I love his designs every year but this is the first time Ishihara has done a full sized show garden. I can totally see why it won best in show and wouldn’t be surprised if it won the people’s choice as well (I’ll vote for it).

The Kings Rose I think will be a bit of a marmite. I love old fashioned roses and I was keen to see it as I’d love a rosa mundi with repeat flowering habit. The King’s Rose is quite an achievement but has rather more defined “stripes” and is a musky fragrance rather than my preferred old rose fragrance of rosa mundi. It might grow on me but I’m not sure. I would definitely recommend seeing it and sniffing it in the flesh if you are looking for a repeat flowering old fashioned rose.

I’ve enjoyed the resurgence of old fashioned forms of rose in modern robust forms although I’m less enthused with the trend for musky/myrhh fragrances in roses.

The RHS plant of the year was a pale pink philadelphus which was really lovely in the flesh. https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/new-plants/philadelphus-petite-perfume-pink

I also did my traditional sign over the stunning hosta stands. I love hostas, tragically so do my slugs.

We're off tomorrow. Kicking myself I didn't book a restaurant now I realise how busy it will be. But I can't usually do a big meal midday and then function afterwards without a snooze 😀. Is there a lot of choice of other food stalls? Getting up at 5 to arrive for 8 so won't have time to eat before.

I also did my traditional sign over the stunning hosta stands. I love hostas, tragically so do my slugs
Do you do the Garlic Wash?

This will my first Chelsea Show. I only got into gardening a couple of years ago. Moved to a house with an enormous garden, front and back, and kept it mainly shrubs, trees, hedges and lawn whilst the children grew up. Now there's no need for tennis and badminton nets, swings, slides and the dreaded trampoline I have cut out huge swathes of borders and beds. Two years in to filling them and seeing what works and what doesn't and I really need some inspiration! Excited 🤗

Yes there are always lots of food outlets of the foodtruck type. If you look on the grounds map for the bandstand and picnic area that is the location of the food trucks. There are also food outlets around the rest of the grounds. This year there are the usual fish and chips, burgers, baked chicken etc but also vietnamese, venezuelan, fish dishes and plenty of vegan/veggie options as well as coffee stands with brownies/cakes etc. You can also take your own food in if you prefer. They are notably co-located with the pimms/champagne/random booze bars.

You can buy food from the food stands pretty much all day. We take the view that with an early start and lots of walking its highly beneficial to have chip shop chips with coffee mid morning - you need the energy 😅. Then we have a late lunch.

The restaurants are for going posh 😀

Garlic wash helps but honestly I think I have superslugs - the buggers are invincible. Its a brilliant day out for gawping at the incredible designs and taking away ideas. The designers and growers and their teams are all out in force and more than happy to share advice and knowledge. Ultimately all of them are passionate about their designs and products. I don’t delude myself I can recreate one of the designs but there are little ideas and plant combos which definitely work in normal gardens. In my dreams I have the Japanese Tea Garden, in practice I have some of the plants and planting combos from his designs.

Grab the plant lists from the show/small/balcony gardens because you will never remember the combinations you like best. Take loads of pictures (I photograph the name of the garden alongside the garden pictures) and the names of growers I particularly liked. Take a battery pack for the phone!

There seemed to be two main food areas, open area down by the Balcony gardens near the stage and the Potting Shed on the top corner of the Pavilion(with a covered area to sit and toilets next door). Free cyder from the Newt stand near Monty’s Dog garden.

Garlic wash helps but honestly I think I have superslugs - the buggers are invincible
Oh no. It's so dry here that (apart from last year when every hole dug, up to the middle of May, immediately filled with water) I don't have that issue, thankfully. OTOH I do spend a lot of time watering.....

And thank you for the info on food, all. Not big eaters and used to loooong walks but thinking that we may need something to sustain by mid morning. My plan is to arrive on the dot of opening - go to Show Gardens, then get coffee/snack/loo - then start the rest based on how many people are there by then. Armed with waterproof ponchos, water, good walking shoes, and charge pack too if lots of photos taken. Can't wait!
@C8H10N4O2 'know' you from old(ish) on MN, I name change a lot, obvs not going to out myself but, shame, I'd have liked to have met you there!

Went on Thursday - had a lovely day.

Did Chelsea in bloom first. Had breakfast and a coffee and then took a stroll to the show - no queues getting in. Loads more benches around this year and plenty of space to have a picnic too. Crowds only got annoying during Monty Don filming. Otherwise, I don't find the crowds to be so bad - no queuing for gardens or loos - got to speak to a designer which was fun. Loved the Japanese show garden and the Japanese balcony.

Thought there was a lot of scruffiness about the gardens this year, pathways looked unfinished and the planting was erratic - not my thing really.
Loved the maroon, dusty pink and white colour combo for flowers, it felt fresh/new. And the big white or dusty pink peonies with a big yellow centre - they were my favourite flowers. Tube from Sloane Square was a bit of a mare - but allowed the crowds to take the first tube and go on the next one a minute later - all good!

We went on Wednesday as first timers. Absolutely loved it. We arrived at 7.40 and they opened the gates a bit before 8am. Definitely worth the early start.
We didn’t buy a programme (which has the map -£17!!) but it was easy to walk straight to the show gardens. We did all the main ones by 9.30 then had a coffee. We revisited each garden several times, and saw Monty three times during the day. I also watched Carol Klein filming, and she seemed lovely.
We bought hot drinks and ice creams, but otherwise brought our own food from home. Lots of people had picnics with them., and the bandstand area has plenty of seating.
We spent two hours just in the pavilion as there is so much to see, and fantastic experts to talk to.
We stayed until 7pm, and decided we will splash out on tickets every year from now on.

I am now wondering who 😀I’m too lazy to name change regularly, except for a couple of times I deleted and had to create a newname on the new account.

One thing I forgot - plenty of water points around the place to fill water bottles so you don’t need to take a large vessel.

If slugs could be monetised I’d be claiming the national collection.

I had an absolute blast this year at Chelsea flower show. My friend got me a ticket for my birthday which was Thursday! We went to the Friday late.

The Japanese tea room garden was my favourite, but honestly some of the balcony gardens were so beautiful as well.

Some photos: