RHS Chelsea Flower Show: How to get tickets to annual floral event

The major garden event usually draws famous visitors, including members of the royal family

The Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) annual Chelsea Flower Show will begin this year on Tuesday (23 May) until Saturday (27 May).

The highly anticipated floral and gardening showcase at the Royal Hospital Chelsea will focus on restorative gardens and the ways that gardening can contribute positively to health and wellbeing.

There will be a number of firsts for the flower show, including the first garden specifically designed to be wheelchair-accessible and new plants to be revealed such as the Clematis ‘Tumaini’ flower and two new types of sweet peas. Fungi growers will also be showcased for the first time.

This year will also be the first Chelsea Flower Show since the late Queen Elizabeth II died last September. She was a regular visitor at the show and was driven around the venue to see the garden designs in a buggy last year.

According to the RHS website, today (Monday 22 May) is the last chance the public will have to purchase their tickets to the annual flower show.

You can do so by visiting the website’s page for the Chelsea Flower Show and clicking on “Ticket options”.

You will be directed to a ticketing website. Here, you will see that day tickets for Tuesday (23 May) and Wednesday (24 May) are for RHS members only. Prices for these days, which you can only purchase if you are a member, start from £68.85.

From Thursday to Saturday (25 to 27 May), the show is open to the general public, who can purchase tickets starting from £65.85. Members get a discount during these days and can expect ticket prices to start at £57.85.

Hamptons Mediterranean Garden, during the RHS Chelsea Flower Show press day, at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London (PA)

However, the website warns that ticket availability is now “extremely limited” and if you are unable to buy a ticket today, you can check in person on the day you wish to visit if there have been any return tickets.

“If you are having difficulty adding tickets to your basket, please select a different date or time as this indicates the slow is sold out,” the website adds.

A bust of King Charles III featured in the RHS Royal Tribute garden during the RHS Chelsea Flower Show press day, at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London (PA)

You can also check the RHS Chelsea Flower Show’s official resale partner Twickets for any tickets that people who can no longer attend might be trying to sell.

Resale of tickets via any other outlet “renders them void and will result in access being denied to this and future events”, the RHS warns.