Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2021

RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2021 is here. Postponed in 2020 because of the pandemic, the floral festival is celebrating its 30th edition this summer, with high hopes to inspire more people to turn their fingers green with its overarching theme of ‘gardening for everyone’. Meanwhile, the core theme across several of this year’s show gardens is how we can use our green spaces to connect with others.

The acclaimed landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith has been made the festival’s Iconic Horticultural Hero this year, and is exhibiting a drought-tolerant garden. While here to showcase how gardens can bring people together is Tom Simpson, who returns with Cancer Research UK, creating a peaceful space for visitors to sit together; and Peter Donegan, who with the pioneering Northern Roots project, explores how urban green spaces can be utilised to provide economic and social benefits to local communities.

Former RHS Young Designer of the Year Will Williams returns with festival sponsor Viking. His Friluftsliv Garden is a Scandinavian-inspired social space complete with a kitchen, plunge pool, seating area and fire pit, all of which promotes a luxurious and relaxing lifestyle. And award-winning designer Paul Hervey-Brookes is creating a contemporary setting designed for entertaining and relaxing, which draws inspiration from the architectural feats of Sir Christopher Wren.

Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival

Gardener and florist Arthur Parkinson is making his festival debut this year with the RHS Cut Flower Garden – a celebration of British-grown flowers designed in collaboration with Sarah Raven.

As well as an opportunity to explore a plethora of visually stunning and inspiring horticultural works of art, the RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival is a chance to get closer to the green-fingered scene with demonstrations, workshops and talks. Among the returning attractions this year is the popular Show, Lifestyle and Global Impact Gardens. Here, visitors can find culinary experiences, shopping and workshops, all providing sought-after inspiration for visitors’ own gardens.

On your visit, don’t forget to take a peek at the community allotments, Floral Marquee, wide-ranging Plant Village, and Festival of Roses. You can even purchase your own plants at the festival, something not on offer at Chelsea.

Though not the best-known of the RHS’s summer span, the 2021 Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival is poised to pack a punch in the gardening sphere.