Following the Government update on 16 March 2020 and ongoing situation with COVID-19, all RHS Shows, Garden events and school visits will be cancelled with immediate effect until 30 June 2020.
RHS Gardens remain open, with a number of increased precautionary measures in place.
With the Government no longer supporting mass gathering events due to the impact on emergency services and heightened actions to encourage social distancing, the following RHS Shows will regrettably no longer take place in 2020:
- RHS London Spring Launch & Orchid Show, 7-8 April
- RHS Botanical Art and Photography Show, 17-18 April
- RHS Flower Show Cardiff, 17-19 April
- RHS Malvern Spring Festival, 7–10 May
- RHS Chelsea Flower Show, 19–23 May
- RHS Chatsworth Flower Show, 11–14 June
- RHS Garden Harlow Carr Flower Show, 26-28 June (this may be rearranged for July)
RHS has said they will be in touch with everyone who has purchased a ticket to any of the cancelled RHS Shows offering them a full refund. They are asking ticket holders to refrain from contacting them immediately, except in an emergency, so that they can continue to handle this situation as swiftly as possible.
Why the shows cannot be postponed
One of the many reasons they cannot postpone any of these large events until later in the year is that most of the thousands of plants grown for these Shows are chosen because they are at their best in spring.
This is the first time the RHS Chelsea Flower Show has been cancelled since the Second World War.
The four RHS Gardens – RHS Garden Wisley, RHS Garden Hyde Hall, RHS Garden Harlow Carr and RHS Garden Rosemoor – remain open. However, all Garden events and school visits will be cancelled with immediate effect until 30 June. If Government guidance changes, RHS have said they this will act accordingly.
RHS Libraries at Vincent Square, RHS Garden Wisley and RHS Garden Harlow Carr will all close from tomorrow, 18 March.
RHS are closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation and following advice and guidelines set by Government.
What will happen with the shows later in the year
RHS hope as they are later in the year, that the following RHS Shows may continue, but they will continue to follow Government advice and will update customers immediately if this changes. The option of a full refund would once again apply should this happen.
- RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, 6-12 July
- RHS Flower Show Tatton Park, 22–26 July
- RHS Garden Hyde Hall Flower Show, 5 – 9 August
- RHS Garden Rosemoor Flower Show, 14 – 16 August
- RHS Garden Wisley Flower Show, 8– 13 September
Sue Biggs, RHS Director General, says: “In these unprecedented challenging times we have carefully followed Government advice and made difficult, responsible decisions with the health and safety of people at the foremost of our minds.
“Our RHS Shows are vitally important platforms for the horticultural industry, and we are especially aware of the impact of cancelling these events on everyone involved. We will be doing all we can to help growers and nurseries to sell the plants they will have grown for the cancelled Shows.
“As with everyone, we have no crystal ball, but for the time being we are planning our Summer Flower Shows and our Gardens remain open, as they are large outside spaces where people can escape in open space and benefit from some tranquillity and beauty, surrounded by nature – all things that are much needed during these unsettling times.
“Things of course may change, but whatever decisions we make, safety will be utmost in our mind and we will, like the rest of the world, be monitoring the situation closely.”
