This is a sponsored article on behalf of the RHS.
How's this for a summer day out? Flowers and plants galore, set in beautiful palace grounds, laced with festival vibes — and all within London.
That's what you get at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, taking place Tuesday 1- Sunday 6 July in the grounds of... you guessed it, Hampton Court Palace. Whether you're a keen gardener, a house plant enthusiast, or just enjoy having a snoop around gorgeous gardens (yeah, us too), you'll find plenty to see and do.
Wander around ready-designed gardens of all shapes and sizes, presided over by the palace building. The Gardens of Curiosity have been created by up-and-coming designers to showcase their talents, including Illusion 2050, plotted out by Kitti Kovacs and taking the shape of a modern courtyard garden showing how we can adapt to environmental changes by 2050 while maintaining beauty and biodiversity.
Meanwhile, Show Gardens offer texture and colour, taking inspiration from a variety of sources, from the landscapes of Oregon to temperate UK rainforests. Expect the unexpected too: swing by the Alan Partridge Sound Bath Garden (!) devised by Steve Coogan's egotistical character to celebrate the return of From the Oasthouse: The Alan Partridge Podcast. Pay close attention to the fence: it depicts 'Alan Partridge' in sound wave form. Ah ha!
You can also swing by the Floral Marquee, filled with an array of colourful plants and flowers, with expert growers on hand to pass on their wisdom and help you recreate what you've seen at home. Each Show Garden has a plant list, so if something catches your eye, make a note of the name and hunt it out in the Plant Village. The Festival of Roses is home to some brand new varieties (and smells divine, too), but if you're more about the practical than the pretty, take a stroll through RHS Allotments for grow-your-own inspiration.
All that is barely scratching the topsoil of a day at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. 200+ shopping stalls offer all the plants you could ever want, plus home decor ideas to bring the beauty indoors. Street food stalls serve up an abundance of food and drink which, in our opinion, are best enjoyed watching live music, from rock bands to acapella choirs, at the bandstand.
Once you're refreshed and ready to continue your day, check out the programmes for the How To Stage and the Get Growing Festival Stage, both of which host a whole programme of expert insights, live demonstrations, and practical tips you can try at home. Among the line-up: BBC Gardener's World presenters Arit Anderson and Joe Swift, and RHS Ambassador Adam Frost (who has won seven Gold medals at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, so safe to say he knows his stuff).
Got the kids in tow? Excellent news: under-16s go free! And there's plenty to keep them entertained too, in the form of interactive activities and a family trail from The Wombles. Well-behaved dogs are welcome too, so take the whole family along for a fun, floral day out.
RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival takes place 1-6 July 2025. Check out the full programme and book your tickets now.
