If you’re a horticultural enthusiast or you just adore flowers and would like to see them displayed in all their glory by experts from around the country, if not the globe, then flower shows seem like an obvious choice for a weekend trip. Many florists bring their best game to floral shows as quite often it’s a very good advertisement for their skills with floral arrangements and breeding knowledge.

However, there’s a wealth of choice when it comes to horticultural events around the country, and many questions to ask yourself when you’re thinking of choosing which ones to attend (or all of them, if you’re an industry veteran or a hard-core floral enthusiast); size, length, events, types of plants, prestige, location – all of these are important considerations, so here’s an overview of what to look at if you’re new to the scene.

Of course, there’s the Royal Horticultural Society – a collection of like-minded horticultural enthusiasts and master florists who hold regular events that are documented in the national (if not international) press, such as the esteemed Chelsea Flower Show. The RHS also hold events throughout the calendar year up and down the country, so if you’re interested to see some of the most prestigious horticultural experts displaying their wares, custom-bred plants and arrangements, then this is a great place to start.

There are also events outside the RHS calendar, like the well-known Harrogate Flower Show, held by the North of England Horticultural Society. The NEHS hold the event once a year and have been doing so since the early 20th century, a mean feat by anyone’s standards, and now holds the largest Spring flower show in Britan with an attendance of over 60,000, alongside a smaller (but still impressive) audience of 35,000 for its autumn events. Hopefully with such a wide range of prestigious events in every area of the UK, you can’t go far wrong making a choice – just browse their websites and see what appeals to you most once you’re settled on whereabouts you’d like to see some of the most incredible horticultural displays in the world.

Upcoming Shows

• Hampton Court Palace Flower Show – 6-11 July 2010
• BBC Gardeners’ World Live – 16-20 June 2010
• RHS Show Tatton Park – 21–25 July 2010
• Malvern Autumn Show – 25–26 September 2010

For more information visit the RHS webiste.