The World's Greatest Garden Festivals and Flower Shows
Garden festivals and flower shows are the cultural rites that punctuate the gardening calendar. The Chelsea Flower Show in London, the Floriade decennial in the Netherlands, and the Federal Garden Show in Germany are the major events; smaller but significant shows occur worldwide.
Chelsea Flower Show, London
Five days every May, the most prestigious garden show in the world. The show gardens designed by top international designers compete for RHS medals; the trade gardens display the latest plant introductions.
RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival
The world's largest annual flower show, held every July across 25 hectares of the Hampton Court estate. Much more affordable than Chelsea and more family-friendly.
Floriade, Netherlands
Held every ten years (most recently 2022 in Almere, next 2032), the world's largest horticultural exhibition. Each edition is on a different site and represents the state of the art of international horticulture.
Bundesgartenschau, Germany
The German Federal Garden Show, held every two years in a different city. Often used as urban regeneration catalyst, creating major new parks.
Festival International des Jardins de Chaumont, France
From April to November every year on the grounds of Chaumont Castle in the Loire Valley. Around 30 contemporary experimental gardens by international designers.
Tatton Park Flower Show, Cheshire
The RHS's northern English flagship, with strong national support.
Singapore Garden Festival
Biennial showcase of global horticultural design, often featuring large-scale fantasy installations.
Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show
The largest in the southern hemisphere, held every March in Carlton Gardens.
Philadelphia Flower Show
Founded 1829, the oldest indoor flower show in the world, held in March each year at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
Tokyo Dome Flower Show
Major annual indoor show, with an emphasis on bonsai, ikebana and unusual cultivars rarely seen in the West.
Explore on the map
All of the gardens mentioned in this article are pinned on the interactive map. Use it to plan a route, group nearby sites into a single trip, or compare gardens by style and season.