Visiting London for the Chelsea Flower Show and the Queen’s Birthday

London is a wonderful city to visit at any time of year, but every now and again the city hosts an event or two that can make your trip just that little bit more memorable. Being the capital city of the United Kingdom, it’s easy to believe that there truly is anything you could ever want within the limits of this massive and sprawling city. There are tourist attractions aplenty, from Westminster through to Buckingham Palace and the Thames, to the London Eye, the London Aquarium, museums, art galleries and far, far more. However that doesn’t mean there isn’t a perfect time to visit London. If you happen to be a lover of flowers, exotic gardens and the British Monarchy, the month of June is probably the ideal time to plan your trip to the fabulous capital.





Officially called the Great Spring Show, the Chelsea Flower Show does exactly what says on the tin: it’s a flower show held in the fashionable, aristocratic area of Chelsea in West London. If you’re wondering how on earth the Queen is involved in all of this, it’s an interesting fact. The show was first established in 1862 in Kensington and was called the Royal Horticultural Society Great Spring Show. The Royal Horticultural Society, or RHS, is a gardening society with patronage from the Royals, and as part of this ongoing patronage, members of the Royal family have attended the show every year.

During the middle of the 20th century, thanks to World War II the show petered out and didn’t run for many years, but in 1953 - when Queen Elizabeth II had her coronation - the country was in such a celebratory mood that another flower show was held. Most of the Royal family attended except, funnily enough, the Queen – who had other commitments at the time. Since then, it has run every year and as part of the patronage to the RHS, members of the Royals attend previews of the flower show every year. Fans of the Royal Family can also see first-hand the Queen’s annual Birthday Parade on the second Saturday of June. The "Trooping the Colour" ceremony, as it’s officially known, has marked the official birthday of the British Sovereign since as far back as 1748, and allows members of the Royal Family, invited guests, ticketholders and the general public to join in the celebrations.





The Chelsea Flower Show, as it’s known today, is attended by a massive 160,000 people, a number which is only limited by the size of the space the show is contained within. There are awards for plants and exhibitions and the whole festival has become world famous and is more than worth attending, so if you visit London during this time you can expect to see many exotic and new flowers, and even perhaps a royal face or two! It’s a fantastic way to spend the day and if you get up and out of your London hotels early enough you can be sure you’ll have the best chance to beat the crowds and enjoy the show at its quietest time.





Isla Campbell writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.