Top 3: RHS Tatton Flower Show inc street artists, edible + prison gardens

The annual Royal Horticultural Society Flower Show Tatton Park, Cheshire might seem like an event aimed at green-fingered enthusiasts. Yet there’s more to see than prime specimens of plants at this year’s show. We don’t all have acres of land on which to plant a garden and many of us simply can’t find time to get down on our knees to weed the flower beds. But there’s plenty of inspiration here for the urban gardener and those with an eye for modern design. While there are traditional show gardens and prizes for beautiful blooms the event also promotes fresh, young (under 28) garden-designing talent. If you’ve only got a tiny spot of outdoor space – or none at all – there’s inspiration here for what to do with it. One of the themes of this year’s show is Feast, meaning that there are edible gardens on show. Full listings for the show are on the RHS website – and here are our top three picks:

Back to back gardens
Forget the sprawling English country garden. This exhibit shows you how to make the most of the smallest urban outdoor space, be it a balcony or a yard. Ideas include reclaiming wooden sleepers or old building materials to create an urban hideaway; installing LED lighting or speakers into your garden and planting ‘moss graffiti’ on a wall.
Read more here: www.rhs.org.uk

Garden hideaways
Gone are the days when the garden shed was for old bikes, nervous spiders and dad’s sneaky bottle of brandy. From adding bunting or a splash of paint to constructing natural roof lights, there’s plenty you can do to liven up an old shed. Inspired by their experience as street artists and muralists Faunagraphic will be reinventing the idea of a boring garden shed by decorating the outside in modern, environmental designs.
Read more about Faunagraphic here: www.faunagraphic.com

Picking up the pieces (pictured)
You’d probably think Tatton’s show gardens are all put together by professional designers. But one concept has been created with inmates from HMP Altcourse – a prison in Liverpool. It’s intended to inspire anyone who has gone through a difficult time to reflect and realise that there is no situation that cannot be overcome. It urges people from all walks of life to ‘pick up the pieces’ during tough times. Thought-provoking stuff.
www.rhs.org.uk

Wed 22 – Sun 26 Jul, Tatton Park, Mereheath Lane, Knutsford, Cheshire, 10am – 6.30pm daily, £25 (online) £30 (on the day), www.rhs.org.uk