Flower Show opens on 24 May 2011 in London’s Chelsea

Queen Elizabeth was visibly delighted by the splendour, too. Members of the royal family are guests of honour on the opening day every year. As in previous years, special guests have been invited this Monday, including the Queen.

The Chelsea Flower Show is considered the most famous and oldest flower show in the world. Its gates have opened here in Chelsea, a district in west London, since 1913. This year, too, the grounds of the Royal Hospital will once again be transformed into a spectacular flower show.

A great deal of work goes into creating this splendour. Around 800 hard-working helpers will build 52 gardens and the approximately 12,000-square-metre show tent in just three weeks. Only the very finest flowers are selected for the show. From winter-blooming Christmas roses to fabulous rose varieties and beautiful orchids, the Chelsea Flower Show has plenty to offer visitors.

The floral beauties in Chelsea can only be bought on the last day of the show, Saturday. But growers can take orders beforehand. The exhibition is therefore sure to soon bring in more money for their businesses. All that hard work can also pay off in another way: growers may be rewarded with a medal.

Such an undertaking naturally comes at a price. The organisers expect the Chelsea flower show to cost more than €100,000. The admission price is correspondingly high: £37, or about €55. Despite the steep price, tickets have long since sold out. That is why it is advisable to book tickets for the Chelsea Flower Show well in advance, from the beginning of November. It is certainly worth it.

This flower show attracts visitors from far and wide. People even come to London from Austria to see it. The wildflower gardens are especially popular with visitors. New developments in the plant world also draw great interest. More than 600 flower growers from around the world will present their stunning new creations. Plant lovers can not only enjoy the beauty of the flowers on display, but also find wonderful ideas for their own gardens.