Chelsea Flower Show is now in bloom offering a slice of horticultural heaven in the heart of the capital
The Chelsea Flower Show comes into full bloom this week in the grounds of the Royal Hospital in London.
Thousands of garden enthusiasts will be heading to SW3 for a slice of horticultural heaven.
The event, organised by the Royal Horticultrual Society (RHS), offers a multitude of show gardens to provide inspiration, award-winning plant displays and a selection of sales stalls to suit every cultivational requirement across the 11-acre site.
Among the highlights this year is Chelsea’s first-ever canine-inspired garden, The RHS Chelsea and Radio 2 Dog Garden, which has been designed by gardening expert Monty Don in collaboration with the RHS Chelsea and BBC Radio 2.
But before the general public can peruse the showground, the Royal Family will be visiting on Monday’s preview day, with a host of celebrities also making the pilgrimage to this potted piece gardening glory.
For those keen to join the garden trail, we take a look at how to grab a glimpse of the Chelsea Flower Show for yourselves either in person or from the comfort of your living room.
A daffodils display on the preview day at the RHS Chelsea Flower show (Photo: Adrian Dennis/AFP)When is the 2025 Chelsea Flower Show?
The Chelsea Flower Show is an almost week-long event held in the grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, which is home to the Chelsea Pensioners.
On Monday 19 May, the King and Queen along with the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester are visiting the show as well as a number of notable figures from the worlds of show business, politics and sport.
In the evening, there will be a charity gala preview for RHS members with tickets available by ballot.
Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 May, the event is open to all RHS members who have purchased tickets, from 8am until 8pm.
From Thursday 22 through to Saturday 24 May, the show is open to members of the public who have purchased tickets. On Thursday and Friday, the grounds will be open from 8am to 8pm and on Saturday it will be open from 8am to 5.30pm.
Friday night sees a special late event from 5.30pm until 10pm, when you can explore the showground, the show gardens and Great Pavilion. From 8pm, DJ, producer and broadcaster Marvin Humes will be in the Ranelagh Gardens for an evening of food, drink, music and dance.
And then on Saturday, there will be a sell-off of display plants from 4pm onwards.
When is the Chelsea Flower Show on TV?
The BBC is the home of the Chelsea Flower Show on television, with programmes across BBC One, BBC Two and the BBC iPlayer.
Sophie Raworth and Adam Frost launched the coverage on Sunday evening, when they were joined by Arit Anderson, Rachel de Thame and JJ Chalmers, and Radio 2’s Jo Whiley.
Monty Don leads the daily BBC Two evening coverage, with Rachel de Thame and Arit Anderson, Carol Klein, Adam Frost, Frances Tophill and Jamie Butterworth.
While Nicki Chapman and Angellica Bell are fronting the daytime coverage, with Carol Klein, Frances Tophill, Sue Kent, Toby Buckland, Chris Bavin and Jason Williams.
Monday to Friday daytime on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 2pm: Afternoon programming with Nicki Chapman and Angellica Bell, offering practical take-home gardening tips.
Monday to Thursday evenings on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer from 8pm: Led by Monty Don, Rachel de Thame, and Arit Anderson, with expert insights from Carol Klein and Frances Tophill.
Friday 23 May on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 7:30pm: An evening programme hosted by Sophie Raworth and Adam Frost.
Saturday 24 May and Sunday 25 May on BBC One, BBC Two and iPlayer from 5.25pm: End-of-week highlights and reflections on BBC Two and BBC One respectively.
How can I get tickets for the Chelsea Flower Show?
Tickets for the show are available online through AXS via the RHS website, although some events are already sold out.
You will need to open an AXS ticketing account to make a purchase.
RHS members can still get all-day tickets online for Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
There are also general public tickets available for all day on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 3.30pm entry on Thursday and Friday.
Tickets must be purchased online – there are no sales at the gate.
Prices range from £82.85 for afternoon entry to £137.85 for all day Thursday and Friday.