Hyde Hall Flower Show

The RHS Gardens Hyde Hall Flower Show ran from 1st August 2018 to 5th August 2018.

We visited on the opening day, and had a lovely day out. The weather was perfect, after a few days of heavy rain in an otherwise long dry spell, and we drove in mid-morning on Wednesday to be expertly guided into the busy overflow car park.

Entrance was well-organised and speedy and after passing the wicker stegosaurus, we were soon amongst the dozens of specialist nurseries, each of whom had a mini garden set up outside their stalls.

There were nurseries from far and wide, both general nurseries and specialist ones – we spotted hostas, carnivorous plants, bulbs and many more. Lots of friendly advice and good prices! We were quite restrained and came back with some alliums, gypsophelia and rudbeckia.

As well as the nurseries there were other trade stands for gardening accessories, equipment and furniture. A rotating globe summerhouse took our fancy!

There were plenty of places to get food and drink, with lots of seating. And in several locations we were serenaded by musicians to add to the vibe.

And there was a British Flower Bus, showing different ways of displaying cut flowers indoors and outdoors. Not having been to Hyde Hall for a year or two we headed up to the garden up the gentle hill. We were impressed with the new restaurant and exhibition space, and the main gardens were looking lovely, although the wisteria covered walkway to the pond has gone!

The Global Growth Vegetable Garden was new to us, and the fruit and veg on display were jaw-dropping in terms of their size, the veg they were producing, and their general health.

And there was even more to be amazed at, in the Thompson & Morgan flower exhibition area, which featured a gorgeous array of flowers, including some lovely new sunflowers.

Visit the Hyde Hall Events Page for details of what’s happening at these amazing gardens. It’s easy to get to (just off the A130 close to Chelmsford, and also accessibly by public transport)