The RHS Flower Show Tatton Park will open on Wednesday, 20th July, offering something for all the family.
The 2011 Show will feature Visionary Gardens, Show Gardens, the RHS National Flowerbed Competition, Football Gardens, the announcement of the Young Designer of the Year, the Floral Design Studio, the Great Taste Food Market and much more.
Especially exciting will be the announcement of the RHS Young Designer of the Year on Wednesday, 20th July. The three finalists for this year's award, announced at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May, are Alexandra Froggatt, Daniela Coray and Owen Morgan. Each designer has been provided with a grant of £12,000 to bring their garden design to life at Tatton.
This year's Visionary Gardens will bring together art and horticulture to challenge traditional ideas of garden design. Drawing upon a diverse range of global issues, subjects include the Rwandan Refugees' flight to freedom, the portrayal of women in society and the battle against HIV.
Also on display will be entries for the RHS National Flower Bed Competition by designers from around the country. Visitors will be intrigued to see trains, Victorian beach huts and even the Blackpool Tower as integral parts of the flowerbeds on display.
Garden designers of the future will also display their expertise with this year's School Gardens. Based around a theme of 'Countries of the World', 28 local schools will create gardens - each representing a different country. Local primary schools have also been encouraged to enter the 'Beautiful Butterflies & Busy Bees' Containers Competition. Containers will be on display for the duration of the Show with visitors voting for their favourite across the five days.
This year the Show has more than ever to appeal to young garden enthusiasts. Children visiting the Show will be transported back to the time of the dinosaur in the Chester Zoo garden, experience the world of Frances Hodgson Burnett's literary classic 'The Secret Garden' and learn how to grow vegetables for the dinner table with CBeebies' Mr Bloom.
Visitors in search of culinary inspiration should head for the Great Taste Food Market which will showcase delicious produce from the local area. In addition to this, Fortnum & Mason Michelin-starred Chef Shaun Hill will select the finest ingredients available at the market and incorporate them into his menu on offer at the restaurant in the Fortnum & Mason Marquee.
New for this year, the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park will be hosting its first ever Ladies' Day on Thursday, 21st July. Throughout the day there will be fashion shows and designer talks and visitors will be invited to ask questions and speak to the designers.
Ladies' Day is the perfect opportunity for visitors to dress up and organisers will be presenting a bottle of champagne to the best dressed. Speakers on the day will include glamorous gardener and presenter Rachel de Thame and former milliner to the Royals Adrian Phillip Howard.
The 2011 RHS Flower Show takes place from Wednesday 20th to Sunday 24th July. Ticket prices range from £19.50 to £28 and are on sale now from the RHS website or 0844 581 0810. Children under 16 go free.
