Every one of these shows is different, and the time of year does affect what you see. Some can also be a little trickier to access than others, so if you want to do a garden tour of the UK, do your homework and plan everything many months in advance. Chelsea is undoubtedly at the top of everyone’s bucket list, but its also the most crowded and difficult to get tickets to. Chelsea is on a small site, so everything is also packed into a small space, and it can be hard to get a clear view of things. It’s best to become a member of the Royal Horticultural Society and buy members tickets for the first day, then arrive before the gates open to be amongst the first inside, and then head straight to the show gardens. Stay at a hotel in the centre of London or in the inner Western suburbs so you can easily and quickly get to Chelsea.
All the other shows I’ve attended are on sites with much more space, so there is more room to move about and see things, even if the crowds are sometimes just as big as Chelsea. Tickets are in the main easier to get for other shows too, but you’re still better to buy them beforehand, to avoid standing in a long queue, sometimes for over half an hour.
I’ve attended the Hampton Court Flower Show in the London suburbs six times and found it just as impressive as Chelsea, but with greater access and the backdrop of a magnificent Royal Palace. This show is run by the same people as Chelsea, and a lot of the exhibitors are also the same exhibitors you see at Chelsea. It is run in early July every year. I visited this show twice one year and still didn’t see everything on offer. Leave time to look around the historic gardens outside of the show too, the palace and gardens alone could take a day to see.
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